<p class="title">Pollution levels in Delhi-National Capital Region increased marginally on Tuesday, mainly due to slow wind speed, while the situation in the next 48 hours depends on the intensity of rains, officials said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The overall air quality index (AQI) in the city read 270 at 4 pm on Tuesday, up from 252 at 4 pm on Monday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Nehru Nagar was the most-pollutedNehru Nagar area with an AQI of 330 and Dilshad Garden (163) the least polluted.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Neighbouring Ghaziabad (300), Greater Noida (268), Gurgaon (186) and Noida (259) also recorded a marginal dip in air quality.</p>.<p class="bodytext">An AQI between 201 and 300 is considered 'poor', 301-400 'very poor' and 401-500 'severe'.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Weather experts said slow surface winds led to the accumulation of pollutants on Tuesday and the intensity of rains will be the deciding factor on Wednesday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">If sufficient rains occur on Wednesday, the pollutants will be washed away, while scanty rains could prove counter-productive, they said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Kuldeep Srivastava, a senior scientist at the India Meteorological Department (IMD), said "sufficient rains" in Punjab and Haryana have impacted the number of farm fires.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Easterly and southeasterly winds are blowing in the region, reducing the impact of stubble burning further," he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">So whatever pollution is left, it's because of local sources, he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The government's air quality and monitoring service SAFAR said, "There is a possibility of scattered rainfall on Wednesday which may improve AQI (if sufficient rain occurs)."</p>.<p class="bodytext">The AQI is likely to improve marginally to moderate category. A slight decline is predicted for Thursday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"The fire count is 554. The transport-level winds are southeasterly and not favourable for plume transport. No significant stubble impact is expected for the next two days," it said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Skymet Weather, a private forecaster, said patchy rains are possible over Delhi and NCR. Parts of Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh will also get scattered rains on Wednesday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Pollution in Delhi and NCR is increasing once again. It may increase further in the next 48 hours," it said. </p>
<p class="title">Pollution levels in Delhi-National Capital Region increased marginally on Tuesday, mainly due to slow wind speed, while the situation in the next 48 hours depends on the intensity of rains, officials said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The overall air quality index (AQI) in the city read 270 at 4 pm on Tuesday, up from 252 at 4 pm on Monday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Nehru Nagar was the most-pollutedNehru Nagar area with an AQI of 330 and Dilshad Garden (163) the least polluted.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Neighbouring Ghaziabad (300), Greater Noida (268), Gurgaon (186) and Noida (259) also recorded a marginal dip in air quality.</p>.<p class="bodytext">An AQI between 201 and 300 is considered 'poor', 301-400 'very poor' and 401-500 'severe'.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Weather experts said slow surface winds led to the accumulation of pollutants on Tuesday and the intensity of rains will be the deciding factor on Wednesday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">If sufficient rains occur on Wednesday, the pollutants will be washed away, while scanty rains could prove counter-productive, they said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Kuldeep Srivastava, a senior scientist at the India Meteorological Department (IMD), said "sufficient rains" in Punjab and Haryana have impacted the number of farm fires.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Easterly and southeasterly winds are blowing in the region, reducing the impact of stubble burning further," he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">So whatever pollution is left, it's because of local sources, he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The government's air quality and monitoring service SAFAR said, "There is a possibility of scattered rainfall on Wednesday which may improve AQI (if sufficient rain occurs)."</p>.<p class="bodytext">The AQI is likely to improve marginally to moderate category. A slight decline is predicted for Thursday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"The fire count is 554. The transport-level winds are southeasterly and not favourable for plume transport. No significant stubble impact is expected for the next two days," it said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Skymet Weather, a private forecaster, said patchy rains are possible over Delhi and NCR. Parts of Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh will also get scattered rains on Wednesday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Pollution in Delhi and NCR is increasing once again. It may increase further in the next 48 hours," it said. </p>