Over the past five nights of Diwali, the bursting of firecrackers has sent air quality, which is toxic at this time of year anyway, to emergency levels, peaking at nearly every monitor in the city.
According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the air in Delhi remains severely polluted for a week after Diwali due to a combination of firecracker emissions, agricultural fires in neighboring states, and adverse weather conditions.
This means that the slight improvement in Delhi’s air since Wednesday – from “severe” to “very poor” – may be short-lived, a possibility that experts have pointed out in recent days, if not strictly adhered to. cookie ban.
SEE | Diwali 2020: Kedarnath Temple, decorated CST; UP CM performs aarti in Ayodhya
Friday’s AQI was 339, while Thursday’s was 314.
“The key this year will be to effectively enforce the crackers ban. Last year, due to an early Diwali and better enforcement, we saw our first “severe” air day only after Diwali. But this year, we have already experienced a severe air quality week, ”said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director (research and advocacy) of the Center for Science and Environment.
On Diwali, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will likely celebrate with troops on the western border
CPCB data shows that for the past five years, pollution levels in the city have remained at “severe” levels in the days after Diwali. Last year, despite slightly better wind speeds, the Air Quality Index (AQI) on Diwali day (October 27) was 337, in the “very poor” category. In the following days, air quality continued to deteriorate, and on October 29, the AQI was 400. The next day, it rose further to 419.
In 2018, a similar trend was observed. On November 7, Diwali day, from an AQI of 281 (poor category), it rose to 390 the next day, slightly less than the “severe” zone. The next day, the AQI rose to 423.
According to Roychowdhury, last year, despite favorable weather conditions and increased law enforcement, pollution levels remained high simply because too many firecrackers were used.
On a scale of 0 to 500, an AQI value between 301 and 400 is considered “very poor”, while values between 401 and 500 are considered “severe”.
To assess the impact of firecrackers in Delhi’s air this year, the CPCB has directed the state pollution control boards of the cities of Delhi and NCR to conduct detailed monitoring of ambient air quality in two or three localities, in order to understand the trend. In Delhi, the areas chosen for this monitoring are Pitampura, Janakpuri and ITO.
“It will be a 15-day study, assessing air quality seven days before Diwali and seven days after Diwali. The noise monitoring assessment will also take place from November 9 to 14, ”said a CPCB statement on Friday.
Senior CPCB officials said that in the Pitampura area of northwest Delhi, levels of PM10 (particulate matter with a diameter less than 10 microns), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), PM2.5 (ultrafine particulate matter with a diameter less than 2.5 microns), and metals will be monitored in PM10 (lead, nickel, arsenic).
At Janakpuri, levels of metals in PM2.5, such as aluminum, barium and iron, will be monitored.
Noise pollution assessments will be carried out in six areas in Okhla, Lajpat Nagar, Mayur Vihar Phase-2, Kamla Nagar, Pitampura and Janakpuri from 6 pm to midnight on Diwali.
Real-time noise monitoring will also take place at 10 locations in Dilshad Garden, RK Puram, Civil Lines, Anand Vihar, Dwarka and Punjabi Bagh.
An analysis by the Center for Science and Environment (CSE) of air quality during Diwali week in 2019 showed that in Delhi-NCR the concentration of PM 2.5 levels increased 10 times in the seven hours from 5 pm on Diwali night.
This was alarming since last year Diwali was celebrated earlier than usual, which means that the city was warmer and had favorable conditions for the dispersal of pollutants.
.
