Quixplained: The various factors that cause Delhi’s air quality to dip this time of the year

Commuters pass through a thick cloud of dust at NH-9, at the New Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border, on October 17, 2020. (Express Photo: Praveen Khanna)

Every year in October, Delhi’s air quality dips and a war of words between different governments erupts. Air pollution in Delhi and the whole of the Indo Gangetic plains is a complex phenomenon that is dependent on a variety of factors. The first and foremost is the input of pollutants, followed by weather and local conditions.

A look at the reasons as to why air pollution rises in October and the role of farm fires.

Why does air pollution rise every October in Delhi and the Indo-Gangetic plains? Air pollution in Delhi is dependent on a variety of factors, such as the weather. The dip in temperature is another factor for the rise in air pollution. Winters bring a dip in wind speed, making it difficult to disperse pollutants.

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What is the role of farmers in Delhi’s air pollution? Other major sources of poor air quality in winter are dust and vehicular pollution.

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