New Delhi:Delhi's pollution levels worsened on Wednesday even as the air quality index remained in the 'poor' category, with a government agency forecasting improvement in the situation on Thursday with cleaner easterly wind coming in.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi's air quality index (AQI) was recorded at 268 on Wednesday morning. However, the data updated in the evening showed the average AQI of the past 24 hours at 256.
The figures are based on data collected from 34 monitoring stations in the city.
The 24-hour average AQI was 223 on Tuesday and 244 the day before. It was 254 on Sunday and 287 on Saturday.
An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'.
However, the Ministry of Earth Sciences' air quality monitor, SAFAR, said the AQI has deteriorated to the lower end of 'very poor' category.
"Delhi's overall Air Quality Index (AQI) has marginally deteriorated and is in the lower end of the 'very poor' category as of Wednesday morning. It is being forecast that the air quality may improve by tomorrow and be in 'poor' category due to cleaner easterly wind intrusion," SAFAR said.
It said the AQI will be in the 'poor' category in the coming days.
The SAFAR synergised stubble burning fire counts around Haryana, Punjab and neighbouring regions stood at 849 for Tuesday.
The share of stubble burning in Delhi's PM 2.5 pollution stood at 15 per cent on Wednesday, the agency said adding it is likely to reduce on Thursday owing to expected change in wind direction.
The Delhi government has kickstarted its 'Red Light On, Gaadi Off' anti-pollution campaign for which it has deployed 2,500 environment marshals at 100 traffic signals across the city to generate awareness and curb vehicular pollution.
The drive will go on till November 15 from 8 am to 8 pm. It is an awareness drive by the Delhi government and no person will be issued challans, the government had said.
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Itanagar (PTI): Fourteen candidates are in the fray for the two Lok Sabha seats in Arunachal Pradesh, which will go to polls on April 19, an official said on Friday.
Eight candidates will contest in the Arunachal West Lok Sabha constituency from where Union Earth Sciences minister Kiren Rijiju and Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee president Nabam Tuki are trying their luck.
The total number of candidates, contesting in the Arunachal East parliamentary constituency, is six after the nomination of Techi Rana, an independent candidate, was found invalid during scrutiny on Thursday, the official said.
Eight independent candidates are fighting the Lok Sabha polls from the two constituencies.
Besides Lok Sabha polls, assembly elections in the northeastern state will be held on April 19.
Altogether 169 candidates are in the fray for the 60 assembly seats, the official said.
The number of valid nominations for the assembly elections includes 59 of the BJP, 23 of the Congress, 16 of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and 23 of the National People's Party (NPP).
There are 29 independent candidates in the assembly elections, he added.