Delhi’s air quality plummeted to the ‘very poor’ category just a week before Diwali, with several areas in the capital region recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) of over 300, according to data from SAFAR-India. A thick fog blanketed parts of the city on Monday morning, reducing visibility as the AQI fell to 307.
Delhi’s AQI falls into very poor
The AQI scale categorizes air quality from ‘good’ (0-50) to ‘severe’ (401-500), with Delhi’s current status falling in the ‘very poor’ range (301-400). This decline in air quality is attributed largely to stubble burning in neighbouring agrarian states like Punjab and Haryana, a practice that releases significant amounts of smoke and particulates into the atmosphere each autumn.
SAFAR-India reports that stubble burning contributed 1.7% to Delhi’s PM2.5 pollution on Sunday, with projections indicating an increase to 7% by Tuesday. PM2.5, or fine particulate matter, consists of tiny particles and droplets in the air measuring 2.5 micrometres or less in diameter, smaller than the width of a human hair.
Political row over environmental crisis in Delhi
The deteriorating air quality has sparked political debate. BJP Delhi chief Virendra Sachdeva criticized the Aam Aadmi Party-led government for inaction, stating to ANI, “They set up a smog tower worth Rs 20 crore, but that ‘crematorium’ still stands there. It doesn’t function. In the last 10 years, they have turned Delhi into hell.”
In response, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi and Environment Minister Gopal Rai inspected pollution control measures at the Anand Vihar bus depot on Sunday. Atishi identified the influx of buses from other states as a major contributor to pollution in the Anand Vihar area and announced plans to engage with the Uttar Pradesh government to implement anti-pollution measures at their nearby bus depot.
As Diwali approaches, concerns grow about the potential further deterioration of air quality due to increased vehicular traffic and fireworks. The situation underscores the urgent need for comprehensive and coordinated efforts to address Delhi’s persistent air pollution problem.
