Pollution Crisis: Delhi Air Quality to Remain Very Poor; No Improvement in Sight for Next 3 Days

A significant drop in emissions from farm fires had brought the capital's 24-hour average AQI down from 437 on Saturday to 330 on Sunday.

New Delhi: The Air quality in the national capital is likely to show no improvement for the next few days.  Delhi’s 24-hour average air quality index stood at 353 at 4 pm. However, the average AQI went down from 437 on Saturday to 330 on Sunday, due to a significant drop in emissions from farm fires. Faridabad (319), Ghaziabad (335), Greater Noida (317), Gurugram (332) and Noida (338) also recorded very poor air quality at 4 pm.

On Monday, the Supreme Court asked the Centre to call a meeting to discuss measures, like stopping non-essential constructions, transport and power plants, by Tuesday evening.  Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the Supreme Court that stubble burning “now is not a major contributor to the pollution, as of now it is 10 per cent”.

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai, on the other hand, sought to know the source of the Centre’s data and said its share rose to a high of 48 per cent in the last 10 days.

“According to SAFAR, the share of stubble burning in Delhi’s PM2.5 pollution rose to a high of 48 per cent in the last 10 days. This is central government data which is available in the public domain. Only the Centre will be able to specify the source of the data that stubble burning accounts for only 10 per cent (of Delhi’s pollution)…. It does not make sense,” he said, according to a Mint report.

Here are the Supreme Court’s Top Quotes on the Delhi-NCR pollution situation:

• The affidavit filed by respondents and after hearing we come to the conclusion the major culprits of pollution are construction activity, industry, transport, power and vehicular traffic apart from stubble burning in some parts. Even though some decisions were taken by the Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Act has not indicated precisely what steps they are going to take to control factors that are causing air pollution.
• There is no basis for hue and cry about farm fires when stubble burning contributes to only 4 per cent of air pollution, said the Supreme Court.
• The Supreme Court rapped the Delhi government for blaming corporations, said lame excuses will force it to hold audit of earnings and expenditure on popularity slogans.
• What drastic measures do you propose to take to deal with the emergent air pollution situation in Delhi, SC asked Centre.
• Supreme Court concluded stating that major culprits of air pollution are transport, industries, vehicular traffic apart from stubble burning in some areas.
• Supreme Court has asked the Centre and States of NCR region to consider work from home for the employees in the meantime; also asks Chief secretaries of Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana to be present for tomorrow’s emergency meeting by the Centre.
• The Supreme Court also asked the state governments of Punjab and Haryana to pursue the farmers for two weeks not to do stubble burning.
• The Supreme Court bench emphasized that action is required to be taken on vehicular pollution, industrial pollution and dust control measures, which contributes nearly 76 per cent to the air pollution.