Delhi posted an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 208 at 3pm, which falls into the poor category. (Proceedings)
New Delhi:
Delhi’s Environment Minister Gopal Rai opened a “green war room” at the Delhi Secretariat on Thursday to monitor measures being taken to reduce pollution levels in the city this winter.
The minister said that a 10-member team under the leadership of senior scientists Mohan George and BL Chawla was established to monitor the levels of primary pollutants, the measures taken to curb contamination and the status of complaints received through the mobile application “Green Delhi”.
Satellite data related to agricultural fires in neighboring states will also be analyzed in the green war room.
There are several agencies working to tackle the problem of air pollution in Delhi. The “green war room” has been established to coordinate their efforts, Rai said.
The “green war room” has three large screens: one is for monitoring primary pollutants such as PM2.5 and PM10, ozone, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, and wind speed.
Pollution levels at 13 hotspots in the city and the steps taken to tear them down will be monitored on the second screen.
The 13 sources of contamination are Okhla Phase-II, Dwarka, Ashok Vihar, Bawana, Narela, Mundka, Punjabi Bagh, Wazirpur, Rohini, Vivek Vihar, Anand Vihar, RK Puram and Jahangirpuri.
The third screen projects satellite data from NASA and ISRO related to the burning of crop residues, the minister told reporters.
According to data from the Punjab government, 169 agricultural fires were observed in the state on Wednesday. In total, 1,692 “fire events” have occurred so far this season.
In Haryana, authorities have reported 526 agricultural fires this season so far.
The team will also monitor mechanized road sweeping and water spraying to prevent dust contamination.
Rai said the control room will work to ensure stricter enforcement of the guidelines for controlling dust pollution at construction and demolition sites, ready-mix concrete plants and garbage burning.
“This campaign against dust will continue in mission mode until October 15 and strict measures will be taken against violators,” he said.
The minister added that daily reports on the number of complaints received and the complaints resolved will be sent to the chief minister, Arvind Kejriwal.
Air quality in the national capital was recorded as “poor” on Thursday and is likely to deteriorate further due to unfavorable weather conditions and increased agricultural fires.
The city posted an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 208 at 3 pm, which falls in the poor category.
Delhi’s air quality had turned poor on Wednesday, the first time since June 29, with the Central Pollution Control Board recording a 24-hour average AQI of 215. On Tuesday it was 178.
An AQI between 0 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”.
High levels of air pollution in Delhi are a year-round problem, which can be attributed to unfavorable weather conditions, agricultural fires in neighboring regions, and local sources of pollution.
The Delhi government launched a massive campaign against air pollution on Monday.
Chief Minister Kejriwal said he will review the situation daily.
The government will also begin spraying the “pusa biodecomponent” solution in the non-basmati rice fields of the national capital, starting October 11.
The solution, experts say, can compost the stubble in 15 to 20 days and thus prevent burning of the stubble.
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