Delhi’s air quality, which has been deteriorating for the past five days, is expected to worsen over the weekend due to unfavorable meteorological conditions, according to weather monitoring agencies. The city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) reached 261, categorizing it as ‘poor’, compared to Thursday’s 256, Wednesday’s 243, and Tuesday’s 220. Neighboring areas such as Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Gurugram, Noida, and Greater Noida also experienced poor air quality.
The AQI scale categorizes air quality as ‘good’ (0-50), ‘satisfactory’ (51-100), ‘moderate’ (101-200), ‘poor’ (201-300), ‘very poor’ (301-400), and ‘severe’ (401-500). Experts from the Centre’s Air Quality Early Warning System predict that Delhi’s air quality will deteriorate to the ‘very poor’ category on Saturday due to low wind speed and dropping temperatures.
Delhi is plagued by a combination of unfavorable meteorological conditions, emissions from firecrackers and paddy straw burning, and local sources of pollution, leading to hazardous air quality levels during winter. According to the Delhi Pollution Control Committee, the capital experiences peak pollution between November 1 and November 15, coinciding with the increase in stubble burning incidents in Punjab and Haryana.
However, crucial data necessary for the government to formulate effective strategies to combat air pollution is missing. The Ministry of Earth Sciences’ System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research, which provides data on smoke from farm fires contributing to Delhi’s pollution, has stopped providing updates without any known reason. Similarly, data from the Decision Support System, which identifies sources of particulate matter pollution in Delhi, is no longer accessible to the public.
Recently, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai stated that the city government’s study to determine pollution sources has been abruptly halted by DPCC Chairman Ashwani Kumar. The government had previously launched a 15-point action plan to mitigate pollution during the winter season, focusing on addressing dust pollution, vehicular emissions, and open burning of garbage. Special drives are already underway to check dust, vehicular, and industrial pollution.
The government has also prepared pollution mitigation plans for 13 identified pollution hotspots in Delhi, and they have identified eight additional hotspots where special teams will be deployed to control pollution sources. To combat dust pollution, the use of suppressant powder, including chemicals like calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, lignosulfonates, and polymers, is being considered. The Commission for Air Quality Management, responsible for implementing the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), has directed authorities in the NCR to increase parking fees, encourage the use of CNG or electric buses and metro trains, and enter Stage II of GRAP due to the predicted ‘very poor’ AQI.
Delhi’s government is diligently working to tackle air pollution, but challenges persist due to missing data and external factors such as stubble burning. It remains crucial to prioritize air quality improvements to ensure the well-being of Delhi’s residents.
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