Ahead of Diwali Festivities, Delhi’s Air Quality Slips To ‘Very Poor’ Category

Stubble burning in the neighbouring states significantly contributes to the air pollution in Delhi. 

New Delhi: With the festive weekend around the corner, Air quality in Delhi slipped to ‘very poor’ category with PM 2.5 as the lead pollutant. A steep rise in stubble burning in the last two days contributing to 14 per cent in the city’s deteriorating air, said authorities.

“Favourable meteorological conditions lead to intrusion of stubble burning related air mass. With 1,572 effective fire counts as per SAFAR harmonised methodology which includes data of two ISRO satellites, the stubble burning contribution in Delhi’s air has suddenly increased to 14 per cent. Fire counts are gradually increasing and wind direction is favourable and coming from north-west direction at transport level (900 mb) for intrusion,” the Ministry of Earth Sciences’ forecast body SAFAR said, adding that air quality is likely to improve on Sunday as  light rains are expected on October 17 and 18.

According to the data from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), as many as 1,948 farm fires were recorded in the last two days – October 15 and 16- compared to 1,795 incidents which occurred in an entire month till October 14.  In the last two days, 1,089 farm fires were recorded in Punjab, Haryana had 539 fires, Uttar Pradesh had 270 incidents, Rajasthan had 10 fires and Madhya Pradesh recorded 40 such incidents.

The data showed that the fire incidents recorded within two days are much higher than the incidents which occurred in the last 10 days till October 14. Stubble burning/farm fires for agro-waste in Punjab and Haryana are among the many ‘point sources of emissions’ for increased air pollution in Delhi-NCR every year.

Air Commission lists suggestions to check air pollution

Earlier on Thursday, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM)  for Delhi-NCR and surrounding areas had asked the states concerned to stop the use of coal/firewood in hotels and open eateries to keep air pollution under check in the region.

Other suggestions to check air pollution in Delhi-NCR

• The sub-committee suggested to increase bus and Metro services, including frequency of their operation.
• It also asked authorities to stringently enforce/stop garbage burning in landfills and other places and impose heavy fines on person responsible.
• Stringently enforce all pollution control regulations in industries and power plants and ensure that all brick kilns remain closed in Delhi-NCR as per the directions of the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
• It also suggested ensuring periodic mechanised sweeping and/or water sprinkling on roads with heavy traffic and dust generation potential
• Strict vigilance and enforcement of Pollution Under Check (PUC) norms
• Stringent enforcement rules for dust control in construction activities and close non-compliant sites, and deployment of traffic police for smooth traffic flow at the identified vulnerable areas.