Delhi’s air quality was recorded in the “poor” category for the eighth consecutive day on Sunday but could turn “severe” on Diwali due to emissions from firecrackers and an increase in the share of smoke from stubble burning because of wind speed and direction.
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data showed that Delhi recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 259 on Sunday, which was the lowest for the day before Diwali in seven years.
Taking note of the air pollution, the Delhi administration issued an order banning private construction in Anand Vihar and adjoining areas till further orders in view of the rising air pollution levels
there.
The data showed the AQI of Anand Vihar stood at 376 under the ‘very poor’ category, while the RK Puram station also recorded the AQI of 305, which also falls in the ‘very poor’ category.
The NSIT Dwarka station reported the AQI of 318. North Campus (Delhi University) also reported AQI of 323.
Most of the stations in the city recorded the AQI in the ‘poor’ category including, Ashok Vihar (282), Aya Nagar (205), Bawana (277), CRRI Mathura Road (275), Dwarka Sector 8 (266), ITO (257), Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium (276), Mundka (294), Narela (267), Nehru Nagar (297), Patparganj (278), Punjabi Bagh (280), Shadipur (232), Sirifort (276), Sonia Vihar (279), Vivek Vihar (290), and Wazirpur (288), the CPCB data stated.
Diwali will be celebrated across the country on Monday and experts have warned, the AQI could even turn “severe” due to emissions from firecrackers.
Smoke from stubble burning and other factors could be contributors too.
Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said his Government’s priority is to save human lives and that it is not interested in politics over firecrackers. Pollution levels rise around Diwali every year. The major reason is burning of firecrackers. Emissions from firecrackers are extremely dangerous especially for kids, women and the elderly, he told reporters.
Last year, the AQI on November 3 (a day before Diwali) was 314. It had shot up to 382 on the Diwali day and 462 the next day. In 2020, Delhi recorded an AQI of 296 a day before Diwali (November 13), while it worsened to 414 on Diwali and 435 the day after. The capital logged an AQI of 287 on the day before the festival in 2019. It worsened to 337 on Diwali (October 27) and further to 368 the next day. The AQI was 338 on the day before Diwali in 2018. Interestingly, it improved to 281 on the Diwali day before aggravating to 390 the next day.
The Capital logged an AQI of 287 on the day before the festival in 2019. It worsened to 337 on Diwali (October 27) and further to 368 the next day. The AQI was 338 on the day before Diwali in 2018. Interestingly, it improved to 281 on the Diwali day before aggravating to 390 the next day.
The AQI was 302 and 404 on the day before Diwali in 2017 and 2016, the CPCB data showed.
The national Capital faces a severe pollution crisis every year around Diwali - with the onset of winter - as the concentration of ultra-fine PM2.5 particles (the harmful heavy metals and toxic chemical compounds in the air) multiplies manifold as people set off firecrackers.
An AQI between zero and 50 is considered “good”, 51 and 100 “satisfactory”, 101 and 200 “moderate”, 201 and 300 “poor”, 301 and 400 “very poor”, and 401 and 500 “severe”.
The air quality in the Capital is predicted to turn “very poor” on Monday morning while it could worsen to the “severe” category on Tuesday due to emissions from firecrackers and an increase in the share of smoke from stubble burning because of a favorable wind speed and direction.
SAFAR, a forecasting agency under the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences, said the air quality may deteriorate to “very poor” levels even if no firecrackers are burst.
In case firecrackers are burst like last year, the air quality may plunge to “severe” levels on the night of Diwali itself and continue to remain in the “red” zone for another day.
The contribution of stubble burning to Delhi’s PM2.5 pollution has so far remained low (up to 5 per cent) due to a slow transport-level wind speed. “However, the transport-level wind direction and speed is likely to become very favourable from Monday afternoon. It will increase the share of stubble burning in Delhi’s PM2.5 pollution to 15-18 per cent on October 25 and push the air quality into the ‘severe’ category,” said Gufran Beig, founder project director, SAFAR.
Paddy straw burning accounted for 25 per cent of Delhi’s PM2.5 pollution on Diwali last year. The share of smoke from farm fires in Delhi’s pollution stood at 32 per cent in 2020 and 19 per cent in 2019.