‘Severe’ air persists, no change in strategy

Even as the city endured a fourth consecutive day of ‘severe’ air on Tuesday, recording an air quality index (AQI) of 427 on the Central Pollution Control Board’s

Even as the city endured a fourth consecutive day of ‘severe’ air on Tuesday, recording an air quality index (AQI) of 427 on the Central Pollution Control Board’s daily bulletin, Gurugram’s local strategy to deal with the crisis remains largely unchanged, officials revealed. Measures implemented under the Centre’s Graded Response Action Plan (Grap) for ‘severe’ air are already in place, and will be intensified in the days leading up to Diwali, officials said, but added that mere enforcement of Grap protocols is unlikely to provide immediate relief from smog that has settled this past week.

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“At the moment, we are intensifying dust control measures in old Gurugram and stepping up inspections in newer sectors, where we have noticed violations of garbage dumping and burning. We have also started taking air samples to check for firecracker emissions,” said Shakti Singh, the Haryana State Pollution Control Board’s (HSPCB) regional officer for Gurugram.

Although he did not provide specific details, Singh said that night patrolling and field inspections to check for polluting activities have been increased in the past two days. “Merely enforcing Grap measures is not going to make the smog go away. They are only so that we don’t worsen the present situation,” he added.

Experts, too, were in agreement with the view. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, at the Centre for Science and Environment, said, “There is an airlock above Delhi-NCR, and simply implementing the Grap is not going to have much of an impact on the pollution load. But these measures are important nevertheless, if implemented with a zero-tolerance policy. As for relief from the present smog episode, we have to wait for meteorology do its job.”

Deputy commissioner Amit Khatri, when asked if the district administration is considering any major change to their policy against air pollution or if any additional measures beyond those specified in the Grap are on the cards, directed the questions to additional deputy commissioner Prashant Panwar and city magistrate Brahamprakash Ahlawat.

Panwar said, “We are monitoring the situation and have passed some orders regarding pollution control.” However, he did not disclose further details or elaborate on the orders.

Ahlawat said, “Our strategy going forward is to intensify Grap measures which are already in place, namely mechanised road sweeping and sprinkling of water. There has not been any discussion yet of implementing harsher restrictions, such as a complete ban on construction. We will, however, be implementing the NGT’s blanket ban on firecrackers.”

A senior HSPCB official, seeking anonymity, said that the state government and district authorities are unlikely to roll out further measures independently. “Policy level guidelines were earlier given by the EPCA {Environment Pollution (Prevention & Control) Authority}, and implemented by local authorities after suggestions from the HSPCB. Since that body has now been dissolved, we are awaiting instructions from the newly appointed CAQM {Commission for Air Quality Management}. The Commission had earlier this week made some recommendations to control air pollution given the present situation, but those measures are already part of the Grap.”

The HSPCB, nodal authority for the implementation of the Grap, is expected to issue fresh orders to all deputy commissioners on Wednesday regarding the ongoing situation. S Narayanan, member-secretary, HSPCB, said, “The CAQM on Tuesday held a meeting with the chief and principal secretaries of NCR states. Pursuant to their discussion, deputy commissioners concerned will be given instructions regarding air quality regulation on Wednesday. We can share the order copy once issued.”

While Gurugram’s air quality did improve slightly from Monday, when the AQI was 482, due to a change in wind direction, pollution levels remain extremely hazardous. Official forecasts do not predict a significant improvement in the situation. The ministry of earth science’s early air quality warning system for Delhi-NCR states, “Significant improvement in Air Quality is not likely owing to slow wind speed in particular during night time. The air quality is likely to remain in Severe category on 11.11.2020 and Severe to Very Poor category on 12.11.2020.”

As per CPCB’s forecast, Gurugram’s AQI on Wednesday is expected to hover around 393, in the upper end of the ‘very poor’ category.