Delhi’s air quality is worsening by the day and may lead to a serious threat to public health as the level of particulate matter (PM) has spiked across the city. On Wednesday, the average reading of ten areas showed that PM 10 and PM 2.5 had exceeded safe limits by a huge margin and were hovering around 368 and 222 microgram per cubic meter, much above the safe limits of 100 and 60, respectively.
As per the data released by SAFAR (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research), a unit of Ministry of Earth Sciences (MES), areas like Delhi University, Anand Vihar and Pitampura gave readings much higher than the average. SAFAR’s Delhi University station recorded PM 2.5 and PM 10 levels at 345 and 362 respectively.
Anand Vihar and Pitampura, located at opposite ends of the city, were highly polluted zones and had earned the “hazardous” tag by the World Air Quality Index by afternoon. It came with a warning of possible serious health effects.
Neighboring urban settlements such as Noida and Gurgaon fared no better in terms of pollution. Noida, Uttar Pradesh (UP) recorded PM 10 and PM 2.5 levels of 392 and 270 at around 3.30 pm, while Haryana’s Gurgaon recorded 296 and 276 respectively at the same time.
On Wednesday, officials of Environment and Forest Department Delhi Government, had written to the State Governments of Punjab, Haryana, UP and Rajasthan to stop the burning of rice husk.
“We have asked State Governments of neighbouring States to stop burning biomass as it is polluting Delhi’s air. We have suggested some alternatives like using the rice husk to generate electricity,” said a senior official of the Delhi Government.
A senior official of the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) explained that the situation will improve only if there are thundershowers and strong wind movement, both of which are unlikely at the moment.
“The phenomenon of smog at this time of the year is not unexpected. The westerly is bringing residues of biomass burning from the neighboring States to the Capital’s air. Falling temperature and local emissions have only added to the rise in pollution,” said an official.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has asked Environment Minister Imran Hussain to take up the issue of burning of crop residue with the Governments of Haryana and Punjab.
Meanwhile, Imran Hussain convened a meeting of all stakeholder departments for levying a fine for burning leaves, garbage, plastic, rubber etc. in the open. In the meeting, he reviewed the action taken by municipal corporations as well as SDMs and Tehsildars.