Pollution Linked to Stubble Burning Across the Border
In a TOI report, D.K. Gupta, a regional officer of the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board in Greater Noida, attributed the worsening air quality to stubble burning in Pakistan. He noted, “This is the first time this year that all three cities of Noida, Greater Noida, and Ghaziabad saw ‘very poor’ air quality on the same day. And our neighbouring country – Pakistan – needs to be blamed for this. Increasing instances of stubble burning have been sending toxic smoke across the border.”
Local Wind Conditions and Visibility Issues
Despite meteorological predictions indicating that winds were not favorable for transporting smoke from stubble-burning sites to Delhi, local wind speeds fell to zero, causing the accumulation of pollutants. A haze blanketed the capital, with visibility dropping to 1,000 meters at Palam and 1,500 meters at Safdarjung early Sunday. At some monitoring stations, the AQI dipped into the ‘severe’ category.
According to a bulletin from the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), air quality is projected to remain in the ‘very poor’ category from October 28 to October 30, with the potential to worsen further to reach a ‘severe’ category on October 30 and 31 due to Diwali festivities. The IITM reported, “Meteorological conditions are unfavourable for the effective dispersion of pollutants.”
Public Health Concerns Escalate
As air quality declines, public health concerns are mounting. Citizens have reported increased cases of respiratory illnesses. In conversation with ANI, a cyclist from Delhi expressed frustration, stating, “We are from Delhi and we (the cyclist group) cycle daily here, but this situation of air pollution since the last few days we are facing a lot of problems. We can’t breathe properly, we get tired faster due to the pollution. We take precautions like wearing a bandana but nothing is working because the pollution is increasing a lot.”
Another resident added, “The government did some work like stopping construction and implementing odd-even but it doesn’t seem like it is working as this is increasing day by day. There should be constructive measures to encourage people to use public transport and carpooling.”In response to rising pollution levels, the Delhi government has imposed a ban on the use and sale of firecrackers until January 1. The government has also adopted measures such as spraying water on roads and frequent cleanings of public spaces to mitigate particulate matter in the air.
What is the govt doing to combat high pollution levels
In response to rising pollution levels, the government launched its nationwide Clean Air Programme in 2019. This initiative aims to reduce particulate matter concentrations, a term for air pollutants, by 40% by 2026 across 24 states and union territories. Key measures include cracking down on coal-based power plants, establishing air monitoring systems, and banning the burning of biomass.
Officials have also begun sprinkling water on roads and even inducing artificial rainfall to combat air pollution in the Indian capital. However, experts warn that these actions may only serve as band-aid solutions that fail to address the underlying issues contributing to air pollution.
Persistent Pollution Levels in the Capital
Despite these measures, Delhi’s AQI remained in the ‘very poor’ category, recorded at 328 on Monday, only slightly better than the previous day’s average of 356. Specific areas, such as Anand Vihar, reported an AQI of 357 at 7 AM, a reduction from the severe AQI of 405 recorded the day before.
SAFAR (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research) predicted that, even with the firecracker ban, air quality in the capital is likely to remain in the ‘very poor’ category for the week ahead. “The meteorological conditions are unfavourable for effective dispersion of pollutants,” SAFAR stated.
Demands for Innovative Solutions to Combat Pollution
Students and citizens have begun to advocate for innovative solutions to tackle the ongoing pollution crisis. A student named Vansh Aggarwal urged the government to explore new technologies and innovations to combat the issue. “There are many reasons for the increase in pollution, including vehicle and industrial pollution… There should be a proper system to tackle the issue of pollution. There are a lot of engineering colleges here, some way we should use new techniques and innovation,” he suggested.
Another resident, Sukhram, revealed his health struggles due to pollution, sharing, “I have been sick due to pollution for the past few days. I am returning to my village in Meerut.” His experiences highlight the increasing toll that air quality has taken on residents’ health and well-being.
Political Tensions Over Pollution Accountability
The pollution crisis has ignited political tensions, particularly between the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Delhi’s Environment Minister Gopal Rai criticized the BJP for its role in the pollution crisis, stating, “The BJP is the party that creates pollution and seems to believe that only drama can solve it.” He emphasized the need for cooperation among all parties to address the pollution issue more effectively.
As pollution levels remain alarmingly high, both citizens and officials continue to call for more effective actions and innovative strategies to improve air quality in the NCR.
(With inputs from TOI)
