Delhi’s air quality index (AQI) stood at 352 placing it in the ‘very poor’ category, as the city endured another morning blanketed by shallow smog, for the seventh consecutive day on Wednesday. According to IQ air, PM2.5 concentration in Delhi is currently 31.6 times the WHO annual air quality guideline value. The most polluted places in Delhi were Bawana, Mundka, Wazirpur, and NSIT Dwarka, which reported air quality in the “severe” category. Meanwhile, dense, toxic foam was detected floating on the Yamuna River at Kalindi Kunj, and the river continues to have elevated pollution levels.
At present, the major contributors to PM2.5 pollution are local and regional sources. The transport sector is the most significant contributor at 12.768 percent, as per the Decision Support System data by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM). While the residential sector contribution is 3.204 percent, industries contributed (2.88 percent), construction 1. 66percent, energy sector 1.485 percent, waste burning 1.148 percent, and road dust 0.96 percent.
The AQI was recorded 356 at 9 am. Dwarka Sector 8 reported an AQI of 355, IGI Airport 347, ITO 327, Jahangirpuri 398, Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium 315, Lodhi Road 309, Narela 377, New Moti Bagh 381, North Campus DU 373, Patparganj 381, Punjabi Bagh 388, RK Puram 373, Rohini 395, Siri Fort 341, Vivek Vihar 382, Anand Vihar 372, Ashok Vihar 398, and Mathura Road 333, among others.
According to Air Pollution Early Warning System for Delhi, mainly smog condition with predominant surface wind from variable directions with wind speed reaching 04–08 kmph prevailed during daytime and calm winds during night. The ventilation index lower than 6000 m2/s with average wind speed less than 10 kmph is unfavourable for dispersion of pollutants. Meteorological conditions are likely to be extremely unfavourable for dispersion of pollutants.
Compounding the poor air quality, the India Meteorological Department reported a visibility drop to 2100 metres over the Indira Gandhi International Airport on Wednesday, down from 2500 meters the previous night. As air pollution levels in Delhi have sharply risen after Diwali, the Transport Department has directed its enforcement wing to carry out aggressive campaigns against overage vehicles and closely monitor BS-II and BS-III vehicles entering the city at the border, officials said.
The drive against overage vehicles was launched on October 11. “The enforcement wing has been asked to conduct the drive against petrol and diesel vehicles that have completed 15 and 10 years of their life as vehicular emissions is one of the key reasons for pollution… So, we are conducting the drive very actively,” said an official. Over 500 vehicles, including cars, e-rickshaws and two-wheelers, have been impounded after Diwali in the last three days.
Addressing a press conference, Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai announced the formation of 58 teams by DPCC and DSIIDC, tasked with the regular inspection of industrial units across the capital. Additionally, 191 patrol teams from three departments have been deployed to oversee the disposal of industrial waste across Delhi.
