Delhi May Experience Best Diwali Air Quality in 8 Years with Cracker Ban
On Sunday, Delhi has the potential to achieve the best air quality on Diwali day in eight years if the ban on firecrackers is strictly enforced. Delhiites woke up to clear skies and abundant sunshine, with the city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) standing at 202 at 7 am, the best in at least three weeks.
To gauge air quality, the AQI ranges from zero to 500, with lower numbers indicating better air quality. An AQI between zero and 50 is considered ‘good’, while above 450 is classified as ‘severe plus’. Saturday’s 24-hour average AQI was 220, the lowest for the day before Diwali in eight years.
This year, Delhi has seen a significant improvement in air quality just before Diwali, which can be attributed to intermittent rainfall on Friday and favorable wind speeds for pollutant dispersion. In comparison, the 24-hour average AQI on Thursday stood at 437.
According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board, Delhi recorded an AQI of 312 on Diwali last year, 382 in 2021, 414 in 2020, 337 in 2019, 281 in 2018, 319 in 2017, and 431 in 2016. This year’s improvement can be attributed to favorable meteorological conditions, including light rain, and reduced smoke from stubble burning due to a western disturbance.
Delhi has imposed a comprehensive ban on the manufacture, storage, sale, and use of firecrackers within the city. However, sporadic incidents of firecracker burning were reported on Saturday night in some parts of the capital. Low temperatures and continued firecracker burning may lead to a rise in pollution levels on Sunday night.
Last year, a decrease in stubble burning, delayed rain, favorable meteorological conditions, and an early Diwali prevented Delhi from experiencing severe air pollution after the festival. Stubble burning in neighboring states like Punjab and Haryana accounted for a significant portion of Delhi’s air pollution.
Vinay Kumar Sehgal, a principal scientist at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, anticipates a reduction in farm fires in Punjab and Haryana around Diwali due to wet conditions following rainfall. Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai announced that the odd-even car rationing scheme, aimed at curbing vehicular pollution, will be postponed due to the notable improvement in air quality.
Doctors have warned that breathing in Delhi’s polluted air is equivalent to smoking approximately 10 cigarettes a day. Prolonged exposure to high levels of pollution can cause or worsen respiratory problems and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.
To combat air pollution, Delhi has implemented stringent restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). These restrictions include a ban on construction work and the entry of polluting trucks into the city.
Delhi’s air quality during winters is severely affected by unfavorable meteorological conditions, vehicular emissions, paddy-straw burning, firecrackers, and other local pollution sources. According to a Delhi Pollution Control Committee analysis, the city experiences peak pollution from November 1 to 15, coinciding with an increase in stubble-burning incidents in Punjab and Haryana.
Delhi’s air quality ranks among the worst in the world’s capital cities, with air pollution shortening lives by almost 12 years, according to a report by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago.
(Note: This article has been auto-generated from a syndicated feed and has not been edited by NDTV staff.)
