With the season of fire crackers round the corner, the National Ambient Air Quality Index (NAAQI) has shown pollutant values “tremendously high.” Notably, in the last week, all ambient air quality meters in Delhi have measured the values of Particulate Matters (2.5, 10) abnormally high.
To get accurate reading on pollutant levels, four major air pollution watch agencies have installed their air quality meters in the different locations of the city. Out of four, one is US Embassy that has installed more than 12 air monitoring devices, while other two agencies which are — SAFAR (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research), a unit of Ministry of Earth Sciences and Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), both operate for measuring pollutants in National Capital Region (NCR) as well as for entire Indian region. And Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) that is accountable for quantifying air data of Delhi only.
After the WHO rating Delhi as the second most polluted city, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has directed the Environment Department and DPCC to review the situation. The Government has decided to launch an awareness campaign to highlight the adverse impact of fire crackers on the air quality during the Diwali season, and take action against the sale and use of Chinese crackers.
Although the State Government is taking preventive measures to curb air pollution, last week pollution statistics have shown that besides the ban on using crackers, there is a need to formulate the policy in public health concern.
Environmentalists in Delhi have said not just crop husk burning but vehicular emission and industrial pollution is equally responsible for the escalation of mass concentration of PMs.
“R K Puram is green but the value of PM 10 always remain high,” said a NGO worker and activist. “For high pollutant values in city atmosphere, besides vehicular and construction dust, is industrial pollution,” the activist added.
A weekly air pollutant data base of RK Puram, that is derived from NAAQI revealed that values of PM 2.5 was fluctuated between 68 µg/m3 to 260 µg/m3 and that is four times higher than the safer limit which is 60 µg/m3.
Value of other air pollutant PM 10 also oscillated between 42 µg/m3 to329 µg/m3 however, safer limit of the pollutant is 100 µg/m3.
According to WHO report ambient (outdoor) air pollution alone kills around 3 million people each year, mainly from non communicable diseases.
“Only one person in ten lives in a city that complies with the WHO Air quality guidelines. Air pollution continues to rise at an alarming rate, and affects economies and quality of life; it is a public health emergency,” the report said.
SAFAR has also marked “poor” to air quality of Delhi as PM 2.5 was traced double times the prescribed standards of Indian Metrological Standards (IMD).