Delhi air quality to worsen as stubble burning cases double in Punjab to 3,200 on Nov 5

Chandigarh: With 3,230 cases, Punjab on Sunday, November 5 recorded the highest number of stubble-burning cases of the season. The previous highest was 1,921 cases on November 1.

Since paddy harvesting in the state is in the middle of peak, the stubble-burning cases will likely remain high in the coming days. 

The impact of the rise in stubble-burning cases is already visible all through the northern cities. 

National Capital's air quality index continues to be in the 'severe' category for a fourth straight day, according to the Central Pollution Control Board. 

A severe category of AQI means that this is sufficient to affect healthy people and seriously affect the diseased. 

The medical experts are already advising the elderly and other vulnerable sections to stay indoors until the air quality improves. 

Not just Delhi, cities in Punjab, which has become the epicentre of farm fires in the region, have been witnessing poor air quality ever since cases began to pick up substantially.

Punjab so far has recorded a total of 17,403 cases of stubble burning. Of this, 13,000 cases were recorded in just last eight days since October 29. 

If ground reports are to be believed, fire counts are only going to intensify since the time window for farmers to switch over to the next wheat crop is very short now. 

Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab is claiming that Punjab's current stubble cases are way less than last year's count. 

However, experts point out that it has not helped in any manner to bring down the air pollution level, which has been the same as last year, especially in the national capital. 

According to experts, the current situation is the mixture of intensification of stubble burning as well as the prevailing meteorological conditions. 

Better wind speed and early rainfall are seen as an immediate solution to overcome the prevailing conditions.