Stubble burning's contribution to Delhi's air pollution is likely to rise to over 13% on Thursday from around 8% on Wednesday, according to forecasts by the Decision Support System for Air Quality Management in Delhi.
The contribution is projected to decline to 10.369 per cent on Friday, the forecasting system, under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, showed.
The forecasts come as Delhi recorded its first 'poor' air quality day of the season on Wednesday, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) settling at 245, the highest in 100 days. The last time the city recorded a comparable AQI was on July 13, when the index stood at 246, according to data.
Additionally, the contribution of the transport sector in Delhi is expected to decline from 20.513 per cent on Wednesday to 17.282 per cent on Thursday, before rising slightly to 18.171 per cent on Friday.
The share from neighbouring industrial areas is also expected to vary over the next few days.
The estimated contribution from Sonipat is projected to decline from 4.804 per cent on Wednesday to 2.643 per cent on Friday. In contrast, the contribution from another neighbouring industrial area, Ghaziabad, is forecast to rise from 3.04 per cent to 4.77 per cent over the same period.
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Wednesday invoked Stage I of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across Delhi-NCR after the capital's air quality slipped into the 'poor' category.
According to the Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi, air quality is likely to remain in the 'poor' category from October 21 to 24. The outlook for the subsequent six days also indicates that the AQI is likely to remain in the same category.
Stage I of GRAP includes measures to curb dust pollution from construction and demolition activities, road dust and open waste burning, among other sources.
(With inputs from PTI)