Delhi residents woke up to a hazy Tuesday morning as the Air Quality Index (AQI) fell to “very poor” for the first time this season amid an increase in agricultural fires in Punjab and Haryana, and local factors. such as low wind speed and the accumulation of pollutants. sparking widespread calls for preventive action against a crisis that has become routine as winter approaches.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) recordings, Delhi’s 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) at 4pm was set at 300, in the “poor” area. However, as of 2:00 pm, the average hourly AQI was well above 300. An AQI between 0 and 50 is classified as “good”, 51 and 100 as “satisfactory”, 101 and 200 as “moderate. “, 201 and 300 as” deficient “, 301 and 400.” Very poor “and 401 and 500 as” severe “.
NASA satellite images showed a large group of fires near Amritsar and Firozpur in Punjab and Patiala, Ambala and Kaithal in Haryana. Experts said relief is not on the horizon and the situation is likely to worsen in the coming days.
“In Delhi, the development of a strong surface level inversion and sudden local calm surface wind conditions led to a low ventilation coefficient and accumulation of pollutants near the surface… The AQI is likely to be in the very poor to poor category for the next two days. An increase in stubble fires observed yesterday around Punjab, Haryana and neighboring border regions with a SAFAR synergistic fire count estimated at 675 on October 12, but the transport wind direction is not favorable and therefore, only a marginal contribution of stubble is expected in PM2.5 ”, said the System of Investigation and Forecast of Weather and Air Quality (SAFAR) administered by the Center. This means that wind speeds were not strong enough to facilitate the dispersal of accumulated pollutant particles near the surface, causing levels to rise.
On Tuesday, the prominent pollutant at most monitoring stations in Delhi was PM10 (particulate matter with a diameter less than 10 microns), which is mainly dust.
At 7am, Delhi’s average hourly AQI was 298, progressively sliding down to 306 at 10am and then further deteriorating to reach 318 at noon. At 5 PM, various stations such as Shadipur, ITO, Mathura Road, Pusa, Nehru Nagar, Dwarka Sector-8, Ashok Vihar, Jahangirpuri, Rohini, Mundka and Bawana continued in the red zone. The mean PM10 level increased from 252ug / m3 at 7am to 300ug / m3 at 1pm, before finally starting to marginally decrease to reach 293.2ug / m3 at 5pm.
As pollution levels rose, both the prime minister and the senior deputy minister spoke on the issue of stubble burning, which has been a political focus between Delhi and neighboring Punjab and Haryana.
CM Arvind Kejriwal said that state governments must stop blaming each other and work together to find a solution to the problem of stubble burning. He said that while farmers in neighboring states and the people of Delhi were bearing the brunt of stubble burning, “governments have closed their eyes.”
“State governments should stop blaming each other. We have to work together to find a solution to the problem … All agencies and governments need to take it seriously now, ”he told reporters in the Narela village of Hiranki, where spraying of the Pusa biodecomposing solution began on Tuesday. The solution, experts say, can turn stubble to manure in 15 to 20 days and thus may result in reduced stubble burning.
MP CM Manish Sisodia, meanwhile, called on the Center to play a “crucial role” in controlling pollution in North India and curbing stubble burning.
The period between mid-October and Diwali is seen as critical in the battle against air pollution because as smoke from agricultural fires in nearby states reaches the National Capital Region, the use of firecrackers on the day of the festival exacerbates micropollutants. The air also becomes still and heavy with the weather turning cold, creating a toxic mix in an environment already polluted by vehicle emissions, road and construction dust, and industrial emissions.
Pollution levels generally remain in the severe category in this period, with the AQI varying between 300 and 500. The level of PM2.5 and PM10 particles reaches at least five to six times above the safe limits of 60μg / m3 and 100μg / m3. PM2.5 are ultrafine particles that adhere deep to the lungs and cause the most harm to human health.
“Pollution, especially stubble burning smoke, is not just a Delhi problem. It is a problem that is affecting the whole of North India. We (the Delhi government) have been working all year to control the pollution levels in Delhi, but unfortunately, the central government did nothing to solve the problem of agricultural fires. They sat doing nothing all year, ”Sisodia said. “We say it over and over again that it is not just Delhi that is affected by pollution, but the whole of northern India,” he said. “The pollution plus the corona has become lethal for people. Pollution, especially related to stubble burning, is not a problem just for Delhi, it is for the whole of northern India, ”Sisodia said.
It also investigated the pollution monitoring body, the Environmental Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority, or Epca, accusing them of failing to oversee coordination between other states to control agricultural fires.
Following Sisodia’s comment, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change said: “The central government believes in working to end pollution. The central government has taken several initiatives against air pollution in the last six years. To control stubble burning, Rs 1.4 billion stubble cutting machines have been provided to farmers in Punjab and Haryana, resulting in a roughly 15-20% reduction in pollution from the land. stubble burning, respectively “.
Bhure Lal, president of Epca, said the monitoring body has been in contact with the state governments of Punjab and Haryana for almost a month since the first signs of early fires were detected through satellite images.
A senior scientist with the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said Delhi received easterly winds with speeds of 6-8 km / h on Tuesday. “Towards the afternoon, for some time, the wind speed improved a bit so the air quality managed to stay in the poor area and not slide into the very poor area. The situation will be similar on Wednesday and Thursday; there is no significant improvement. As of October 16, we hope that the air quality will begin to improve, ”said the scientist.
Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director (research and advocacy) of the Center for Science and Environment, said this is Delhi’s third year with the Graduated Response Action Plan (GRAP), which clearly sets out the role of all agencies when they start. pollution levels. deteriorating. “Action taken by agencies throughout the year will now determine winter pollution levels. The action that is taken now will only be like extinguishing fires. Emergency action at this time of year will not give us very visible results. Delhi has done a lot, but much remains to be done, ”said Roychowdhury.
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