After the Diwali razzmatazz, Delhiites are now subjected to breathe air having alarming levels of particulate matter in it. The Capital witnessed an upward trend in noise pollution, which was much more than last year’s Diwali. Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter (RSPM), which directly affects breathing, has gone up by five times from the national ambiance air quality standard, stated scientists from System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR). However, the city’s weather gave a respite from increasing pollution levels as the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) suggested that Delhi witnessed comparatively lesser pollution on October 23 due to wind and higher mixing height of RSPM in the atmosphere.
The night time Diwali peak pollution in residential areas reached alarming levels as
RK Puram, Punjabi Bagh, Civil lines and Mandir Marg recorded high short duration peak
pollution on Diwali night. “The 24-hour average of PM 10 was recorded at 427 mg per cubic metre and PM2.5 was at
278 mpcm, almost five times higher than the prescribed
standard of 100 mpcm and 60 mpcm respectively,” said senior scientist Dr Gufran Beig at SAFAR, which is jointly run by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology and India Meteorological Department.
The festival day noise level range was noted to be between 71 decibels and 83 decibels. There has been increase in noise level at Connaught Place as compared to the values of 2013. The noise level at Pragati Maidan, Dwarka, Bawana and Arjun Nagar exceeded the respective prescribed standards for both day and night time for the entire period.
Since 10 pm onwards, an upward trend was witnessed at all six air quality monitoring stations in Delhi. According to real time ambient air quality data of Delhi Pollution Control Committee, PM 2.5 was at its peak at 5.30 am and recorded 724 microgram per cubic meter (mpcm) in RK Puram. In Punjabi Bagh, the PM 2.5 was at its peak at 1 am and was recorded at 755 mpcm, while PM 10 was recorded as 1,490 mpcm highest at 3.30 am. At Mandir Marg, the particulate matter PM 2.5 was at its peak at 2.30 am and recorded 984 mpcm while PM 10 was recorded as 1,200 mpcm highest at 2 am. The peak pollution level monitored in Civil lines was PM2.5 at 999.85 mpcm from 11 pm to 2.30 am and the PM 10 was 1,000 mpcm from 9 pm to 3 am. At Anand Vihar, PM 2.5 was recorded highest at 814 mpcm at 1 am while PM 10 was highest at 1,500 mpcm during midnight. PM2.5 was at its highest at IGI Airport at 347.41 mpcm around 11.30 pm and PM10 was recorded the highest at 404.98 mpcm during the same time.
According to CPCB, Cyclone Hudhud came as a boon for the national Capital as pollutants in the air did not get locked in. “It was observed that atmospheric pressure got built up since October 10 and simultaneously the temperature and relative humidity are also declining, except during October 14-15, as an after effect of Hudhud. This increased the mixing height of pollutants in the atmosphere which was facilitated by winds resulting in RSPMs being dispersed quickly. So air pollution levels have been not much this year,” said a senior CPCB official. last year particulate matter
levels had shown an increasing trend at all the locations as compared to 2012. RSPM values ranged between 796 and 1,138 g/m3as in 2013 compared to 748 and 951 g/m3g/m3 during Diwali in 2012.
Experts opine that this condition will continue for two more days due to which there will be a fall in night temperatures. Particulate matters in the atmosphere less than 10 microns in size are classified as PM10 and particles that are less than 2.5 microns in size are PM2.5.
Increased Particulate Matter levels values in general may be attributed to adverse meteorological conditions, like lower night time temperature, low mixing height and low wind speed. Children, elderly and people with existing lung disease may not be able to breathe as deeply or
vigorously as they normally would, and they may
experience symptoms such as coughing and shortness of breath, increase susceptibility to respiratory infections and can aggravate existing respiratory diseases such as asthma and chronic bronchitis.