EIACP Centre on Plants and Pollution

Air pollution across the country went up to alarmingly high levels amid Diwali celebrations on October 30, 2016 and thereafter. In Delhi, people woke up to smog with visibility up to 50 meters. According to air quality monitored by the Central Pollution Control Board, PM 2.5 and PM 10 in Delhi went up to 999 which is way more than the safe limit of 60 micrograms and 100 micrograms respectively. The key contributing factors for this smog is high pollution caused by the huge quantum of vehicles in Delhi, unchecked surge in construction, road dust and garbage burning. This was compounded by Diwali crackers and burning of paddy residue by farmers in Punjab and Haryana, near-still weather conditions and the onset of winter. As per Safar, under the Earth Sciences ministry, the proportion of pollutants from neighbouring states’ crop fires in Delhi’s air rose dramatically from almost zero on November 1 to a peak of 70% on November 6, 2016.Other reasons for poor air quality in India is the burning of wood and cow dung for cooking and keeping themselves warm by poor class, particularly in the northern parts of the country in the winter months. These methods are popular even in Delhi amongst poor, who don’t have access to electricity or cleaner fuels. The dusts obtained from these processes have been found to contain organic and inorganic carbon, elements, and trace amounts of heavy metals among other toxic components.

What is PM and acceptable standards:

Particulate matter (PM) affects more people than any other pollutant. It is the sum of all solid and liquid particles suspended in air many of which are hazardous. This complex mixture includes both organic and inorganic particles such as dust, pollen, soot, smoke, and liquid droplets. The major components of PM are sulfate, nitrates, ammonia, sodium chloride, black carbon, mineral dust and water. These particles vary greatly in size, composition, and origin and thus their effects on the human body differ. The particles with a diameter of ≤ 10 microns (PM₁₀), and ≤ 2.5 microns (PM_2.5) are mostly studied by researchers since they are most common and can penetrate and lodge deep inside the lungs. India has standards for PM 10 and PM 2.5, however, PM 1 is still not regulated in India. The Government should come up with standards of ambient PM 1 concentration as soon as possible.

[WHO- World Health Organization; EPA-Environmental Protection Agency; NAAQS- National Ambient Air Quality Standards]

How it is like to be dying slowly in Delhi:

It’s scary but it has to be told. Delhi is the most polluted city in the world, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), and doctors and scientists say the locals there are facing a public health crisis. It may be a shocker for many parents, but Delhi’s children have the weakest lungs when compared to youngsters from other metros. This has come to light from a study conducted by the HEAL Foundation and Breathe Blue, which shows that four out of every 10 children in the Capital suffer from lung problems. A worrying 21 per cent of the children surveyed in Delhi were categorised as ‘poor’ followed by 14 per cent in Bengaluru, 13 per cent in Mumbai and nine per cent in Kolkata. The worst affected are children who commute in unpacked vehicles as they are more exposed to dust particles in the air. As per a 2015 report by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), Air pollution is responsible for 10,000 to 30,000 deaths annually in Delhi and it is the fifth leading cause of death in India. Let us see how rising air pollution and dust in Delhi is a serious health hazard for everyone including adults and old people:

Current scenario and causes for Delhi becoming a gas chamber:

Prevalent conditions on November 6 onwards became so bad that schools in Delhi NCR had to be closed for few days as it was thought that outside air would be too toxic for school going children. Air pollution in Delhi’s National Capital Region (NCR) is comprised of a complex mix of pollution from human activities as well as natural sources like dust and sea salt. The heavy concentration of particulate matter is greatly affected by meteorological conditions – in the winter, cool air causes “inversions” that stagnant the air and trap pollution close to the ground. Air flow patterns from Afghanistan and Pakistan pick up emissions as they move over the densely urbanized regions of Punjab and Haryana where farmers burn the straw in their fields and pull this pollution into Delhi.

Source: The Times of India, 15 Nov 2016