Rain and reduced stubble-burning count helps Noida, Ghaziabad air enter ‘moderate’ zone after 42 days

After 42 days, the air quality in Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad improved to “moderate” on Tuesday on the back of widespread rain and fewer farm fires in north-west

After 42 days, the air quality in Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad improved to “moderate” on Tuesday on the back of widespread rain and fewer farm fires in north-west India helping to bring down pollution.

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The forecast for the next few days, however, doesn’t expect more rain, but with farm fires too not expected to spike, the focus would now likely shift to controlling local pollution.

Since October 6, the three cities, and the national capital region (NCR) in general, saw mostly “very poor” air deteriorating several times to the “severe” category, including on the day of Diwali. Relief came in the form of moisture laden winds from the Mediterranean Sea -- called the Western Disutrbance -- and strong winds that helped to disperse pollutants.

The air quality index (AQI) of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) on Tuesday read below 200 for Ghaziabad, Greater Noida and Noida at 166, 186 and 178, respectively.

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered “good”, 51 and 100 “satisfactory”, 101 and 200 “moderate”, 201 and 300 “poor”, 301 and 400 “very poor”, and 401 and 500 “severe.”

“The present reduction in pollution levels is due to recent spell of rain and also due to fewer instances of stubble burning that impacted the Delhi-NCR region. With the rain on Sunday, the pollution cover has been dispersed. At local level, we are taking up measures to lower down the pollutants,” said Utsav Sharma, regional officer of the UP pollution control board.

According to the records of System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), the share of stubble burning to Delhi’s PM2.5 levels was 3% on Tuesday while it was 1% on Monday.

The official statistics of the Consortium for Research on Agroecosystem Monitoring and Modelling from Space (CREAMS) Laboratory, stated that instances of crop residue burning from October 1 to November 15 have been highest this year since 2017 from the states of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

There were total of 83,756 instances (75,904 Punjab, 5,000 Haryana, 2,852 UP including 15 Ghaziabad, 11 GB Nagar) during the period this year while the figure stood at in 2019 it was 55,031, 65,377 in 2018 and 71,444 in 2017.

“The wind direction presently is north-westerly and if stubble burning counts increase, these winds will bring in the pollutants. But for now, whatever bad air we are seeing is more due to local pollutants. In the coming 3-4 days we have no indication of any rain,” said Kuldeep Srivastava, head of Indian Meteorological Department’s Regional Weather Forecasting Centre, New Delhi.

Ever since October 6, the pollution levels had risen in the three cities and spiked to “very poor” and further to “severe” categories. During the pre-Diwali period from November 5 to November 10, the three cities suffered “severe” pollution levels.

The pollution levels started to drop after November 15 and plunged to “poor” category on November 16. A day later it dropped to “moderate” category.

The forecast by SAFAR however said that the significant improvement is “short-lived.”

“Stubble burning share in PM2.5 in Delhi’s air is almost negligible and estimated marginal ~3 % for today (Tuesday). However, the significant AQI improvement is short-lived. The AQI is likely to marginally deteriorate and in moderate to the Poor category is forecasted for tomorrow (Wednesday). AQI is forecasted to further deteriorate to the higher end of ‘poor’ to lower end of ‘very poor’ category on November 19 and 20,” the forecast added.