Respite over, air quality drops to poor zone as pollution rises

Following a respite from bad air due to heavy rainfall over the weekend, the air quality in the city started deteriorating on Wednesday, recording an air quality index (AQI) reading of 235 (‘poor’) on the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) daily bulletin

Following a respite from bad air due to heavy rainfall over the weekend, the air quality in the city started deteriorating on Wednesday, recording an air quality index (AQI) reading of 235 (‘poor’) on the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) daily bulletin.

Air quality in Gurugram started deteriorating again, to the poor zone, due to localised pollution sources such as dust on the Gurugram-Sohna Road due to construction work. (Parveen Kumar/HT Photo)

Neighbouring cities of Delhi, Faridabad, Manesar, Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad in the National Capital Region (NCR) also reported ‘poor’ air quality on Wednesday.

Residents and experts said that in the past two days, the air quality was better because of rain, but local sources of pollution in the city have not reduced. On Wednesday, the particulate matter having a diameter of 2.5 microns or less (PM2.5) was listed as the prominent pollutant in the AQI bulletin.

Ruchika Sethi, a member of Citizens for Clean Air, a city-based group, said, “It’s important to remember the role played by meteorological conditions in the city’s air quality and the constant sources of air pollution, such as waste burning and dust pollution, within the city. If full efforts are made to curb the local triggers of air pollution, then the city, despite external seasonal factors or rains and high speed of wind, will enjoy a better air quality. But violations are witnessed on a regular basis, be it uncovered trucks with construction material or rampant waste burning.”

Experts also expressed similar concerns and said that the authorities need to curb the impact of local pollution sources, apart from external factors like stubble burning.

Sachin Panwar, a city-based independent air quality scientist, said, “This was a rare episode of extended October rain, and one which created a micro airshed for Delhi-NCR. Stubble burning has also been low so far this year, but still, the ground pollution levels were high. Time and again, it has been seen that favourable meteorological conditions are the only saviour and there are no significant efforts to control the localised emissions.”

Panwar said that over the next three days, visibility is likely to drop in Gurugram due to high pollution, and this may, eventually, turn into smog.

“Over the coming days, moisture will hold dust particles and other secondary aerosols, and we are heading slowly towards peak pollution days without any proper action on the ground,” Panwar said.

According to the weather bulletin issued on Wednesday evening by Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi, the air quality over Delhi and National Capital Territory is likely to deteriorate and reach the ‘very poor’ category on Thursday and remain the same on Friday as well. Over the next five days, the air quality is likely to remain largely in the ‘very poor’ category.

Meanwhile, officials of the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) said that measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (Grap) are being implemented in the district according to the air quality.

Kuldeep Singh, regional officer of HSPCB for Gurugram (north), said, “Over the next three to four days, our primary focus is to control sources of dust pollution as the air quality is likely to deteriorate. We have issued instructions to all agencies to ensure that dust control measures, mainly sprinkling of water from a height, is followed. Our teams will be patrolling the city to ensure that the action is being taken.”