Farm fires rage in Pak, no surge in Punjab-for now

Capital's AQI back to 'very poor' due to local factors even as experts warn of farm fire threat on horizon

- Abhishek Jha and Jasjeev Gandhiok

Pakistan recorded 3,730 farm fires in the 10 days ending October 25, the highest count for that period in available records dating to 2012, raising alarm among meteorologists who warn the smoke plume will likely sweep across North India once wind patterns shift in the coming days.

The warning comes as Delhi's air quality returned to "very poor" levels on Saturday, with the Air Quality Index climbing to 292 on Saturday, up from 275 a day earlier, marking a deterioration after a brief respite on Friday when stronger winds helped flush out Diwali firecracker pollution that had led to several days of 300-plus AQI.

By 10pm, the index had climbed back to above 300 to settle at 306.

Experts attributed the current spike to local factors and said the Pakistan fires have not yet contributed to Delhi's pollution due to current wind patterns. Right now, winds are blowing from west to east, which has shifted most of the smoke to above Punjab and parts of Jammu and Kashmir.

But that is expected to change after a western disturbance passes through the region between October 27-29, a period when farm fires in Punjab too are predicted to surge.

"In the coming days, if stubble burning on the Punjab side of Pakistan continues, it actually might impact Delhi's air pollution level as well," said Madhavan Nair Rajeevan, former secretary of the ministry of Earth Sciences.

"We are expecting northwesterlies in the coming days and depending on the wind speed, the particulate matters might be carried to the Capital and neighbouring areas as well.