NOIDA: The AQI in Delhi-NCR improved on Saturday as the wind from the southwest and the southeast directions swept the region at four to 18 kmph speed and removed dust and other pollutants. The air had already cleared up to an extent on Friday after the rains. However, the relief will be shortlived as the air quality may deteriorate from Sunday due to a reduced wind speed, farm fires and the bursting of firecrackers on Diwali. Track the pollution level in your cityOn Saturday, the cities saw the best air quality of the last 20 days. Noidas AQI dropped to 156 on Saturday from 247 on Friday, turning moderate from poor. The trend was similar in Greater Noida and Ghaziabad. Greater Noidas AQI dropped to 130 on Saturday from 272 on Friday, and Ghaziabads to 160 from 267. Delhis AQI dropped to 220 from 279 but remained poor. According to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research, the air quality improved due to the rains and the changes in wind direction. "Predominant winds were from the southwest and southeast directions. The wind speed was four to 18 kmph on Saturday. But the air quality is likely to turn very poor on Sunday and severe on Monday," a SAFAR statement said.In Delhi, the contribution of biomass burning to PM2.5 levels on Saturday was 10% and may rise to 29% on Sunday, according to IITMs decisions support system. The impact of rain, which had affected stubble burning, has began to fade. On Saturday, 104 instances of stubble burning were recorded against six a day earlier. "Saturday saw a constant flow of winds at 15-16kmph under the impact of western disturbance. But the wind speed may drop slightly on Sunday afternoon from 15-16 to 5-6 kmph," said Kuldeep Srivastava, scientist, IMD.Utsav Sharma, UPPCB Noida regional officer, said, "The Central Pollution Control Board has directed us to keep a close watch on the air quality and noise levels in the pre-and post-Diwali period for a week. We are accordingly conducting a special monitoring exercise. Teams are also ensuring compliance with GRAP."R K Gupta, a resident of Noida Sector 49 and principal of Government PG College, said, "The deterioration in the air quality in winter is an annual phenomenon. There should be a coordinated effort to curb pollution in winter. There are thousands of industries in Noida and Greater Noida. There should be staggered timings for their operations throughout the year." "As far as stubble burning is concerned, the government should raise awareness among farmers and ask them to convert crop residue into compost and purchase or use that," Gupta said.The CAQM on November 5 enforced GRA measures in Delhi-NCR, banning construction and demolition activities. One of the fallouts is that some construction workers have become jobless and are returning to their native places. District Magistrate Manish Kumar Verma has issued a letter to developers and asked them to take care of them. "If these workers want to return to their native homes, the developers and contractors must clear their dues and also give travel allowances under sections of the inter-state migrant labourers Act, 1979," he said.

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