New Delhi, Nov 3: The air quality in Delhi is expected to get even worse over the next two weeks, according to scientists. Delhi’s Environment Minister has called an emergency meeting to assess the situation. Delhi is known for having some of the world’s most polluted air, and it becomes especially toxic during the winter months. Several factors contribute to this pollution, including the burning of crop residues by farmers, slow wind speeds, and the use of firecrackers during festivals.
Studies by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee have shown that the city’s air pollution peaks between November 1 and November 15, coinciding with an increase in stubble burning incidents in neighboring states like Punjab and Haryana.
Delhi, India, is facing an air quality emergency with pollution levels reaching ‘severe’ just days before the Diwali festival. The situation has prompted several measures to combat the crisis:
- School Closures: Delhi’s Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal, announced the closure of all government and primary schools in the city on Friday and Saturday due to rising pollution levels.
- Bans on Construction and Older Vehicles: The Delhi government imposed a ban on non-essential construction activities and the use of older, more polluting vehicles, particularly BS-3 petrol and BS-4 diesel cars in areas like Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, and Gautam Budh Nagar.
- Deteriorating Air Quality: Delhi’s overall Air Quality Index (AQI) has reached the ‘severe’ category. Specific areas are reporting extremely high pollution levels.
- Stubble Burning: A significant contributor to the pollution is the burning of crop residues, with smoke from stubble burning accounting for a substantial portion of the fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution in Delhi.
- Rainfall Deficiency: October 2023 saw the worst air quality since 2020, exacerbated by minimal rainfall. Only 5.4mm of rain was recorded in October 2023, compared to 129mm in October 2022 and 123mm in October 2021.
- Seasonal Peaks: Delhi’s air pollution typically worsens between November 1 and November 15, coinciding with an increase in stubble-burning incidents in neighboring states like Punjab and Haryana.
- Emergency Measures: Section 144 has been imposed in Gurugram, while Noida and Greater Noida have come under Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) III restrictions. The Delhi Metro is running 20 extra trains to encourage people to use public transportation instead of personal vehicles.
- Additional Bans: GRAP III restrictions encompass various activities, including demolition work, construction material handling, and road maintenance. The government will intensify mechanized road cleaning and water-sprinkling to reduce dust.
The situation in Delhi is critical, and scientists anticipate further deterioration of air quality over the next two weeks. The Delhi environment minister has convened an emergency meeting to assess the situation. Delhi consistently ranks among the world’s most polluted cities, with pollution intensifying during the winter months due to various factors, including crop burning and festival-related firecrackers.
On Thursday evening, the concentration of PM2.5, which is fine particulate matter harmful to health, exceeded the safe limit of 60 micrograms per cubic meter by seven to eight times in various parts of the city and its suburbs, based on government data.
To combat the worsening air quality, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced the closure of all government and private primary schools in the city on Friday and Saturday. The government has also implemented the third phase of its Graded Response Action Plan, which includes an immediate ban on non-essential construction work.
In the second phase, which was initiated last week, all public transport services, including the Delhi Metro and electric buses, were instructed to increase their frequency to reduce vehicle emissions.
Furthermore, the Delhi government recently imposed a comprehensive ban on the manufacture, sale, and use of firecrackers within the city. This measure has been in place for the last three years to reduce air pollution during festivals.
The impact of polluted air is severe on the health of Delhi residents, with health professionals reporting an increase in cases of asthma and lung issues, especially among children and the elderly. Jugal Kishore, the head of the medicine department at Safdarjung Hospital, noted a surge in irritative bronchitis infections and advised individuals with respiratory problems to avoid going outdoors unless absolutely necessary.
Be the first to comment