The disposal of dead leaves in Delhi has become a serious issue as burning of dry leaves is a major source of air pollution in the Capital after vehicular emissions. And it continues unabated. According to environment scientists, smoke from burning dry leaves is a major contributing factor to the severe smog in the city. It enhances the mass concentration of particulate matter (10) in the air as it emits trace gases like carbon dioxide, methane, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, sulphur oxide and a large amount of particulate matters, which adversely affect human health as well as the environment.
Gopal Krishna, environmentalist, Anti-Toxic Watch Alliance (ATWA) said burning solid waste, be it dry leaves or any other form of vegetation, is prohibited under the Environment Protection Act 1986. “The exposure to the harmful gases released from the burning of biomass has adverse impact on the health of both environment and the people,” he said.
Notably, while the quality of air quality is considerably good in the month of March compared with other periods of the year, this year, the concentration of Particulate Matter (PM) 10 was measured two times higher than prescribed standards of National air monitoring agencies which is 100 mg/m3.
As per the database prepared by System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), a unit of Ministry of Earth sciences (MoES), burning of biomass (vegetation, dry leaves and agriculture waste) within 50km of Delhi increases emissions by at least 15 per cent. In the city’s surroundings, even tyres, plastics and tubes are burnt and these release cancer-causing chemicals like dioxin.
last year in December, Delhi Pollution Control Board (DPCC) issued some guidelines and gave directions to directions to local bodies, PWD and Horticulture Department against the disposal of leaves by burning.