Seriously critical pollution crisis for Delhi: AQI reaches deadly levels
Delhi is witnessing the worst ever pollution crisis. The national capital has been witnessing its Air Quality Index touching alarming levels. Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) said on Monday that it has breached 487. Adding to this, many areas, including Dwarka and Najafgarh, reported an AQI of 500 and overturned the city into an environmental emergency. This has been one of the worst pollution events that have been witnessed in November over the years.
AQI Reaches Near ‘Severe Plus’ Conditions
Delhi witnessed AQI touch near ‘severe plus’ conditions on Monday; the scale has its highest level at pollution. The most drastic anti-pollution measure, that is, Graded Response Action Plan, Stage 4 calls for immediate attention to the increasingly deteriorating air quality. Strict curbs on construction, demolition, and vehicular movement for diesel-run heavy vehicles except for those involved in providing essential services or transportation of essential commodities come under this plan. Such measures notwithstanding, the pollution level is even alarming now.
Record-Breaking Pollution Rates
Experts and analysts termed the spurt pollution one of the worst in the recent years for November. According to the CPCB stats, the major polluters, PM2.5 and PM10, have made an incredible rise since Sunday. The average concentration of PM2.5 was recorded on Sunday at an incredible figure of 354 micrograms per cubic meter. In the meantime, its concentration was found to be over 20 times more than the safe limit as recommended by the World Health Organisation. Concentration level of PM10 was also measured as 12 times higher than its threshold level.
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This five years have perhaps seen the worst of things, but last week was among the very worst. According to environmental analyst and founder of Envirocatalysts Sunil Dahiya, incessant perennial sources of pollution along with the rising instances of stubble burning and adverse meteorological conditions, which included mist and low temperatures, were the reasons for increasing it further. The PM2.5 level yesterday crossed 429 micrograms per cubic meter for the first time since November 2021.
A year-on-year comparison points towards scarifying trends:
A comparison of data with the previous years reflects that the present state of air quality in Delhi is degrading. The average concentration of PM2.5 during the period between November 11 to 17, 2020 was at 297 micrograms per cubic meter. The last years were highly fluctuating, dangerous, and perilously high: 151 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023 and 304 in 2024. Average PM2.5 levels for the period this year broke all the previous records since 2021 for October-November.
This PM2.5 concentration peaked on Nov 17 at 429 micrograms per cubic metre. It only came second to the value attained on November 10, 2022, at 452 micrograms per cubic meter. That ascending trend justifies how urgent effective control measures on pollution are.
Worsening weather conditions reiterate the crisis.
There is another, fresher wrinkle-the bad weather-which has added to the pollution crisis now. The India Meteorological Department issued a yellow alert for Delhi, which means moderate to dense fog and smog in the capital. Visibility on Monday morning slumped drastically, with Palam recording a minimum of 100 meters and Safdarjung reporting a minimum of 150 meters. These conditions prevent the dispersal of pollutants, so hazardously keeping them close to the ground.
IMD has also predicted the very same foggy weather conditions to last till November 24 but decline progressively by later parts of the week. The intensity of the morning fog in combination with the thinning the evening fog that has turned out to become a daily phenomenon has also increased air pollution levels.
Social Health and Daily Life Impact
Hazardous air quality is a compelling factor for large chunks of public health. Long-term exposure to high levels of PM2.5 and PM10 will cause diseases related to the breathing system and the cardiovascular system, particularly among children, elderly people, and those already suffering from a health issue. The Chief Minister has decided to shift most students of schools to online classes except for classes 10 and 12. This is aimed at saving the toddlers from hazardous air.
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The hospitals have also reported higher cases of hospitalized patients with respiratory distress. Even these cases had to be managed on an urgent basis. Advisory from the public authorities had been that people must restrict their outdoor activities, especially during peak hours of pollution, and also carry N95 masks when venturing outdoors .
GRAP Stage 4 Action
In this event, the government had to turn on GRAP Stage 4. The restrictions that have been imposed under this process are as follow:
Construction and Demolition ban: All construction and demolition activities would be strictly prohibited except for a few identified projects in defense, health, and survival infrastructure.
Restriction on Movement of Vehicles: All the diesel medium and heavy vehicles will be duly restricted from entering the city except in direct essential services or emergency services unless otherwise such vehicle caters to the norms of BS-IV or lower as per vendor or market-based .
Closing of Non-Essential Factory/Industry: All other factories /industries, which are not in the critical list will need to shut down at times temporarily to cut down on emissions.
Experts say that even after these steps, Delhi needs a long-term and systemic remedy because it is a chronic pollution.
Root Causes: Stubble Burning and Local Emissions
Three biggest contributors of pollution in Delhi are stubble burning in the nearby states, vehicular emissions, and industrial pollution. It was done much more vigorously during the last week, contributing very significantly to this sudden shoot in the levels of PM2.5. Proper alternates for the farmers and proper government moves to dissuade this process is challenging.
Besides this, vehicular emission in Delhi and dust from construction sites are imparting very awful flavors to the quality of air. Though relief measures under GRAP are still there, as of now, experts feel that the principle of sustainable policy, cleaner technology and a strong enforcement of pollution control norms should be followed.
Foreword: Forecast and Recommendations
The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology said that the air quality in Delhi would continue to be ‘severe’ or ‘very poor for at least six more days-an enumeration that repeated the need for having immediate and robust steps to curtail emissions and improve quality.
Long term strategies include lobbying for renewable source energy, clean fuel diversion, improvement of public transport, and green farming not supporting stubble burning. Mass-level personal efforts include carpooling, use of public transport, and no burning of waste, amongst others.
Conclusion
It proves a harsh reminder to all concerned that there is an urgent need for collective action, rather than just momentary respite with Stage 4 GRAP measures and really doing something about the causal sources of the pollution. In the absence of such interventions, effective though time-bound, its denizens will continue being subjected to adverse health effects and environment degradation arising from noxious air.