AIR Spotlight: Understanding Delhi's Air Pollution Problem

The AIR Spotlight is a thought-provoking program that is broadcasted daily on All India Radio Newsonair. The program features a panel of distinguished experts who discuss a variety of significant issues. These discussions can prove to be highly beneficial in the preparation for the IAS exam .

This article delves into the issue of air pollution in Delhi, exploring its causes, consequences, and potential solutions.

Participants:

1. Mukul Sanwal, Ex-UN Diplomat and Environmental Expert
2. Omvesh Upadhyay, AIR Correspondent

Background – Every winter, Delhi's air quality becomes a serious health hazard due to factors like industrial and vehicle emissions, crop residue burning , and the bursting of firecrackers.

Delhi, home to almost 30 million people, is one of the most polluted cities globally. As the winter season begins, the city and its surrounding regions are enveloped in toxic smog filled with harmful gases like carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and sulphur oxides.

Factors Leading to Delhi's Increasing Air Pollution

During winter, the cold air descends to the ground, altering the wind pattern. This change prevents the dispersion of pollution, causing the pollutants generated in and around Delhi-NCR to settle in the region, leading to a decline in air quality.

• One of the primary causes of air pollution in Delhi and the NCR region during winter is the burning of crop residue in neighbouring states like Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan. This practice releases toxic pollutants like methane, carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, and carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons into the atmosphere, resulting in a dense smog cover over Delhi.
  • According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and SAFAR (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research), crop residue burning contributes to 34% of Delhi's air pollution.
• Vehicle emissions also play a significant role in worsening Delhi-NCR's air quality during winter.
• Large-scale construction activities in Delhi-NCR and garbage dumps are other factors contributing to air pollution and smog formation.
• Delhi's landlocked geography exacerbates its air pollution problem. The north-westerly winds from Rajasthan, sometimes even from Pakistan and Afghanistan, bring dust into the region. Unlike coastal cities like Mumbai, which can replace polluted air with relatively clean sea breezes, Delhi, being a landlocked city, lacks avenues to flush out polluted air.
• Although not a leading cause, firecrackers do contribute to air pollution.

National Air Quality Index (AQI)

• AQI is a daily reporting index for air quality.
• It is calculated for eight major air pollutants: ground-level ozone, PM 10, PM 2.5, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, ammonia, and lead.

Find more details about the Air Quality Index in the linked article.

GRAP (Graded Response Action Plan)

• The GRAP is a series of anti-air pollution measures implemented in Delhi. It categorizes Delhi-NCR's air quality into four stages: Stage I – ‘Poor’ (AQI 201-300); Stage II – ‘Very Poor’ (AQI 301-400); Stage III – ‘Severe’ (AQI 401-450); and Stage IV – ‘Severe Plus’ (AQI >450).
• The primary focus of GRAP Stage IV is on restricting vehicles, including the entry of commercial trucks into Delhi, diesel commercial vehicles for intra-Delhi movements, non-BS VI passenger vans, and Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) in Delhi.

Check out previous AIR Spotlight articles here.