While demonetisation has made Delhiites stand in queue for hours to exchange their old currency, it has resulted in cleaner air in the national Capital as lesser number of vehicles are plying on the roads. There has been a noticeable drop in the value of pollutants in city air. Environmentalists said not only the wind but reduction of vehicles on roads is a major factor in improving air quality in this week.
Considering the air pollution data of SAFAR of previous week, it is evident that values of Particulate Matter (PM) have reduced by 550µgm-3. On November 7, 2015 values of both PM 10 and PM 2.5 were recorded at 1015 µgm-3 and 560 µgm-3 respectively however after the announcement on the ban of currency of Rs 500 and 1,000 on November 8, average values of both the PMs were recorded at 350 µgm-3 (average ) and 155 µgm-3.
Reacting on SAFAR (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research) data base air pollutant values, Gopal Krishna, an environmentalist with Anti Toxic Watch Alliance (ATWA) said besides metrological factors like wind speed and ambient air pressure, the numbers of vehicles plying on the roads is also a crucial factor.
"Air pollution load is directly related to the mobility in transport sector. Cash crunch is the reason behind city residents opting for public transport than taking out their own vehicles,"he added.
The most significant drop in the level of pollutants has been recorded in around Palam area. Despite the low velocity of wind, the pollutant values of PM 10 and PM 2.5 were recorded at 15.87 µgm-3 and 96.48 µgm-3 while permissible limit of both the pollutants are 100 and 60 (µgm-3) at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport.
The data of US Embassy of November 8 to November 18 has revealed that pollutant values of ozone, oxides of nitrate, benzene and toluene also decreased. Interestingly, values of carcinogenic component benzene was measured to be significantly low; instance — in R K Puram it was recorded at 8.9 µgm-3, while at Mandir Marg it was 5.5 µgm-3.