News Analysis India

Tag: air quality

  • Two Himachal towns get ‘Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan 2022 Awards’ for air quality

    By PTI

    SHIMLA: Sundernagar and Nalagarh towns of Himachal Pradesh bagged second and third places, respectively, at the national Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan 2022 Awards instituted by the National Clean Air Programme.

    Union Minister for Environment Forest and Climate Change Bhupendra Yadav and Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal gave the award on Saturday in Bhubaneswar during an international conference titled ‘Vayu’.

    Chief Scientific Officer at Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board Dr Manoj Chauhan received the cash award of Rs 25 lakh and Rs 12.5 lakh for the two towns, respectively, on behalf of the state, a release issued here said.

    The board’s member secretary Apoorv Devgan said the state adopted a multi-pronged strategy by involving all stakeholder departments and prepared an action plan for mitigation of air pollution in all non-attainment cities and towns (NAC/Ts). The state board has upgraded its air monitoring capability in all the NAC/Ts.

    Further, effective periodic review of Air Quality Monitoring Committee’s (AQMC)action plan and efforts of the State Pollution Control Board as well as efforts at the city level have led to over 40 per cent reduction in particulate PM10 concentration, he said.

    PM10 is the term used for a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in air. The state’s overall Air Quality Index has also improved to 61 from 81 during the base year 2017, he added.

    SHIMLA: Sundernagar and Nalagarh towns of Himachal Pradesh bagged second and third places, respectively, at the national Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan 2022 Awards instituted by the National Clean Air Programme.

    Union Minister for Environment Forest and Climate Change Bhupendra Yadav and Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal gave the award on Saturday in Bhubaneswar during an international conference titled ‘Vayu’.

    Chief Scientific Officer at Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board Dr Manoj Chauhan received the cash award of Rs 25 lakh and Rs 12.5 lakh for the two towns, respectively, on behalf of the state, a release issued here said.

    The board’s member secretary Apoorv Devgan said the state adopted a multi-pronged strategy by involving all stakeholder departments and prepared an action plan for mitigation of air pollution in all non-attainment cities and towns (NAC/Ts). The state board has upgraded its air monitoring capability in all the NAC/Ts.

    Further, effective periodic review of Air Quality Monitoring Committee’s (AQMC)action plan and efforts of the State Pollution Control Board as well as efforts at the city level have led to over 40 per cent reduction in particulate PM10 concentration, he said.

    PM10 is the term used for a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in air. The state’s overall Air Quality Index has also improved to 61 from 81 during the base year 2017, he added.

  • Delhi wakes up to thick smog, air quality index dips to ‘severe’

    By ANI

    NEW DELHI: Delhiites woke up on Thursday to a thick envelope of smog as air quality in the national capital and in adjoining regions, dipped into severe category again.

    The Air Quality Index (AQI) in the national capital at 8 am was at 364 (in the ‘Very Poor’ category) and at 7 am the recorded AQI stood at 408 (‘Severe’). Unfavorable meteorological conditions with slower wind speed and sudden spike in farm fire incidents are attributed to the dip in air quality.

    An AQI between 401 and 500 is categorized as severe.

    Noida, which is part of the national capital region, slipped to an AQI of 393, in the ‘very poor’ category, while Gurugram’s AQI stood at 318 and continued to remain in the ‘very poor category, as per data released by SAFAR (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research) India.

    An AQI range beteen 0 to 100 is considered as good, while from 100 to 200 it is termed moderate and from 200 to 300 it is poor. AQI ranging from 300 to 400 it is said to be very poor.

    North Delhi Air Quality recorded the poorest as almost all the stations in the region displayed AQI above 400.

    Most of the stations in the capital have an AQI above 300 with the exceptions of a few like Mandir Marg in central Delhi.

    According to data by SAFAR, Dhirpur in Model Town plunged to an AQI of 457-a level at which even healthy people can fall ill.

    The AQI near IGI Airport (T3) also stood in the ‘Very Poor’ category today at 346. On Wednesday, the AQI in the area was recorded 350.

    With air pollution worsening in the national capital, Delhi authorities halted all construction work and demolition activities till further orders.

    The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has urged the Delhi government to shut schools till air quality improves. 

    NEW DELHI: Delhiites woke up on Thursday to a thick envelope of smog as air quality in the national capital and in adjoining regions, dipped into severe category again.

    The Air Quality Index (AQI) in the national capital at 8 am was at 364 (in the ‘Very Poor’ category) and at 7 am the recorded AQI stood at 408 (‘Severe’). Unfavorable meteorological conditions with slower wind speed and sudden spike in farm fire incidents are attributed to the dip in air quality.

    An AQI between 401 and 500 is categorized as severe.

    Noida, which is part of the national capital region, slipped to an AQI of 393, in the ‘very poor’ category, while Gurugram’s AQI stood at 318 and continued to remain in the ‘very poor category, as per data released by SAFAR (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research) India.

    An AQI range beteen 0 to 100 is considered as good, while from 100 to 200 it is termed moderate and from 200 to 300 it is poor. AQI ranging from 300 to 400 it is said to be very poor.

    North Delhi Air Quality recorded the poorest as almost all the stations in the region displayed AQI above 400.

    Most of the stations in the capital have an AQI above 300 with the exceptions of a few like Mandir Marg in central Delhi.

    According to data by SAFAR, Dhirpur in Model Town plunged to an AQI of 457-a level at which even healthy people can fall ill.

    The AQI near IGI Airport (T3) also stood in the ‘Very Poor’ category today at 346. On Wednesday, the AQI in the area was recorded 350.

    With air pollution worsening in the national capital, Delhi authorities halted all construction work and demolition activities till further orders.

    The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has urged the Delhi government to shut schools till air quality improves. 

  • Punjab sees nearly 1,900 farm fires on Saturday

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: Despite the Punjab government carrying out a massive awareness programme to dissuade farmers from setting crop residue on fire, the state recorded 1,898 stubble burning incidents on Saturday.

    With this, the cumulative number of farm fire incidents between September 15 and October 29 now stands at 12,112, according to Ludhiana-based Punjab Remote Sensing Centre data.

    During the corresponding in 2020 and 2021, the state had reported 23,187 and 8,856 stubble burning incidents respectively.

    Out of total 1,898 farm fire incidents on Saturday, Sangrur recorded the highest number of 286 cases, followed by 268 in Patiala, 192 in Tarn Taran, 109 in Barnala, 108 in Bathinda, 105 in Ludhiana and 104 in Ferozepur, as per the data.

    The state had reported 1,541 and 1,353 active fire incidents on October 29 in 2020 and 2021 respectively, according to the data. After Diwali, the state has seen a jump in the number of stubble burning incidents.

    The state’s total number of farm fires has more than doubled to 12,112 in comparison to 5,617 incidents on October 24, as per the data. Major farm fire incidents are now being witnessed in the state’s Malwa region.

    During the period from September 15 to October 29, Tarn Taran reported 2,188 farm fires, followed by 1,327 in Patiala, 1,296 in Amritsar and 1,046 in Sangrur.

    In neighbouring Haryana, many places reported air quality indices in ‘poor’ and ‘very poor’ categories on Saturday evening.

    Faridabad reported its air quality index at 397, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data.

    Among other areas in the state, Manesar reported an AQI at 381, Gurugram 375, Fatehabad 373, Bahadurgarh 363, Charkhi Dadri 353, Bhiwani 327, Sonipat 332, Rohtak 309, Kurukshetra 273 and Ambala 254.

    In Punjab, Amritsar, Khanna, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Mandi Gobindgarh and Patiala reported their respective AQIs at 215, 186, 177, 220, 160 and 208, as per the data. The Union Territory of Chandigarh reported an AQI of 192.

    An AQI between 0 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”.

    Meanwhile, Bharti Kisan Union (Lakhowal) general secretary Harinder Singh Lakhowal on Saturday asked the government to pay Rs 100 per quintal or Rs 5,000 per acre to a farmer for stubble management.

    “We also do not want it to burn it as its smoke reaches our villages first. Therefore, we request the government to support us, otherwise farmers will be forced to burn crop residue,” Lakhowal told reporters in Jalandhar.

    Earlier in the day in Mohali, Punjab Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan exhorted farmers not to burn stubble so as to keep the environment clean and pollution-free.

    Paddy straw burning in Punjab and Haryana is one of the reasons behind the alarming spike in air pollution levels in the national capital in October and November.

    As the window for Rabi crop wheat is very short after paddy harvest, farmers set their fields on fire to quickly clear off the crop residue.

    Punjab generates around 180 lakh tonne of paddy straw annually. Punjab recorded 71,304 such fire incidents in 2021, 76,590 in 2020, 55,210 in 2019, 50,590 in 2018, 45,384 in 2017 and 81,042 in 2016.

    CHANDIGARH: Despite the Punjab government carrying out a massive awareness programme to dissuade farmers from setting crop residue on fire, the state recorded 1,898 stubble burning incidents on Saturday.

    With this, the cumulative number of farm fire incidents between September 15 and October 29 now stands at 12,112, according to Ludhiana-based Punjab Remote Sensing Centre data.

    During the corresponding in 2020 and 2021, the state had reported 23,187 and 8,856 stubble burning incidents respectively.

    Out of total 1,898 farm fire incidents on Saturday, Sangrur recorded the highest number of 286 cases, followed by 268 in Patiala, 192 in Tarn Taran, 109 in Barnala, 108 in Bathinda, 105 in Ludhiana and 104 in Ferozepur, as per the data.

    The state had reported 1,541 and 1,353 active fire incidents on October 29 in 2020 and 2021 respectively, according to the data. After Diwali, the state has seen a jump in the number of stubble burning incidents.

    The state’s total number of farm fires has more than doubled to 12,112 in comparison to 5,617 incidents on October 24, as per the data. Major farm fire incidents are now being witnessed in the state’s Malwa region.

    During the period from September 15 to October 29, Tarn Taran reported 2,188 farm fires, followed by 1,327 in Patiala, 1,296 in Amritsar and 1,046 in Sangrur.

    In neighbouring Haryana, many places reported air quality indices in ‘poor’ and ‘very poor’ categories on Saturday evening.

    Faridabad reported its air quality index at 397, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data.

    Among other areas in the state, Manesar reported an AQI at 381, Gurugram 375, Fatehabad 373, Bahadurgarh 363, Charkhi Dadri 353, Bhiwani 327, Sonipat 332, Rohtak 309, Kurukshetra 273 and Ambala 254.

    In Punjab, Amritsar, Khanna, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Mandi Gobindgarh and Patiala reported their respective AQIs at 215, 186, 177, 220, 160 and 208, as per the data. The Union Territory of Chandigarh reported an AQI of 192.

    An AQI between 0 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”.

    Meanwhile, Bharti Kisan Union (Lakhowal) general secretary Harinder Singh Lakhowal on Saturday asked the government to pay Rs 100 per quintal or Rs 5,000 per acre to a farmer for stubble management.

    “We also do not want it to burn it as its smoke reaches our villages first. Therefore, we request the government to support us, otherwise farmers will be forced to burn crop residue,” Lakhowal told reporters in Jalandhar.

    Earlier in the day in Mohali, Punjab Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan exhorted farmers not to burn stubble so as to keep the environment clean and pollution-free.

    Paddy straw burning in Punjab and Haryana is one of the reasons behind the alarming spike in air pollution levels in the national capital in October and November.

    As the window for Rabi crop wheat is very short after paddy harvest, farmers set their fields on fire to quickly clear off the crop residue.

    Punjab generates around 180 lakh tonne of paddy straw annually. Punjab recorded 71,304 such fire incidents in 2021, 76,590 in 2020, 55,210 in 2019, 50,590 in 2018, 45,384 in 2017 and 81,042 in 2016.

  • Many cities record poor air quality after Diwali

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: A day after Diwali, air quality was recorded as ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’ in Delhi and several other cities and towns, especially in Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, but was still relatively better than in previous years in the national capital.

    The national capital and its neighbouring areas had witnessed severe air quality post-Diwali when the festival was celebrated in November during last two years, with intense smog enveloping the region for days as stubble burning peaks during the month while low temperatures and calm winds trap pollutants.

    However, favourable weather conditions related to temperature and wind direction diluted the effect of firecrackers and stubble burning to some extent this year.

    Delhi’s air quality index (AQI) stood at 310 at 11 pm on Monday. It increased to 326 by 6 am on Tuesday, remained stable till 9 am and then started decreasing. It was 312 at 4.10 pm.

    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’.

    A metro train runs on its track amid low visibility due to smog, post ‘Diwali’ celebrations, in New Delhi, Oct. 25, 2022 (Photo | PTI)

    In neighbouring areas, Noida in Uttar Pradesh (312) and Gurugram (313), Faridabad (311) and Charkho Dadri (301) in Haryana reported very poor air quality at 9 am.

    Greater Noida (282) and Ghaziabad (272) in UP were also nearing the very poor category.

    Bhiwani, Ambala, Bahadurgarh, Sonipat, Jind, Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra, and Panipat in Haryana reported their AQI at 291, 241, 279, 214, 296, 211, 276 and 192 respectively, according to the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) data On Tuesday afternoon.

    In Punjab’s Ludhiana, Amritsar, Mandi Gobindgarh, Patiala, Jalandhar and Khanna, the AQI recorded at 10.10 am was 313, 249, 208, 225, 260 and 212 respectively.

    Jodhpur (337) in Rajasthan and Bulandshahr (329) in UP also recorded very poor air quality.

    Other cities with poor air quality included Rajasthan’s Jaipur (265), Ajmer (226) and Kota (216); Gujarat’s Ahmedabad (243), Belgaum (221) in Karnataka; Jabalpur (235), Katni (237) and Dewas (207) in Madhya Pradesh; in UP, Agra (206), Lucknow (241), Kanpur (218) and Khurja (238); Begusarai (325) in Bihar and Tamil Nadu capital Chennai (229).

    The AQI in the Union Territory of Chandigarh, the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana, was recorded at 178.

    Delhi and Northern states still face an uphill battle

    On Monday night, people in Delhi flouted the ban on firecrackers with impunity though over 400 teams of the Delhi Police, the Department of Revenue, and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee were formed to implement it. The Delhi government had in September announced the ban on the production, sale and use of all types of firecrackers till January 1, 2023, including on Diwali, a practice it has been following for the last two years.

    PM2.5 concentration at most places in the capital was over 550 micrograms per cubic metre by 1 am.

    However, PM2.5 levels dropped below 350 micrograms per cubic metre by 10 am due to warm and windier conditions.

    PM2.5 are fine particles that are 2.5 microns or less in diameter and can travel deep into the respiratory tract, reaching the lungs and entering the bloodstream.

    The Punjab government had allowed bursting firecrackers on Diwali from 8 pm till 10 pm while the Haryana government allowed only green crackers in the state. Farm fires continued at many places in Punjab and Haryana despite efforts to stop the practice.

    Paddy straw burning in Punjab and Haryana is one of the reasons behind the alarming spike in air pollution levels in the national capital in October and November.

    “Bursting of firecrackers led to a sharp increase in air pollution with PM2.5 concentration, on an average, jumping to 550 micrograms per cubic metre across Delhi by 1 am,” Sunil Dahiya, an analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), told PTI.

    Dahiya said stubble-burning in Punjab and Haryana peaks only in October-end and November and hence its contribution to air pollution on Diwali was not very significant.

    Mobile anti-smog guns spray water into the air after their flag-off by Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai, in New Delhi on Monday. (Parveen Negi by EPS)

    However, the wind direction changed to southwesterly, which is unfavourable for the transport of smoke. Hence, the contribution of stubble burning to Delhi’s pollution (five to eight per cent) was also “not very significant”, said Gufran Beig, chair professor, National Institute of Advanced Studies, Indian Institute of Science.

    Emissions from firecrackers and farm fires have contributed significantly to Delhi’s PM2.5 pollution on Diwali over the years. The share of farm fires in Delhi’s PM2.5 pollution was 25 per cent on Diwali in 2021, 32 per cent in 2020 and 19 per cent in 2019.

    Since Diwali was celebrated early in the season this year, moderately warm and windier conditions prevented the rapid accumulation of pollutants from firecrackers bursting and reduced the effect of stubble burning. 

    Other states like Punjab and Tamil Nadu allowed the bursting of firecrackers during a two-hour window.

    Chennai chokes due to ‘poor’ air quality

    The Roads at Velachery were seen completely covered with smog following the Diwali celebrations on Monday Night. (Ashwin Prasath by EPS)

    In Chennai (229), the air quality was recorded as ‘poor’, according to official figures. The city police registered 354 cases regarding various violations, including the time limit allowed for bursting crackers.

    According to the figures uploaded on the website of the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) as of noon, most of the observation points in the city and its surroundings generally had ‘poor’ air quality. The state government had earlier mandated the bursting of crackers between 6-7 AM and 7-8 PM in line with a Supreme Court direction.

    Chennai city wakes up with smog following Diwali celebrations. (Ashwin Prasath by EPS)

    NEW DELHI: A day after Diwali, air quality was recorded as ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’ in Delhi and several other cities and towns, especially in Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, but was still relatively better than in previous years in the national capital.

    The national capital and its neighbouring areas had witnessed severe air quality post-Diwali when the festival was celebrated in November during last two years, with intense smog enveloping the region for days as stubble burning peaks during the month while low temperatures and calm winds trap pollutants.

    However, favourable weather conditions related to temperature and wind direction diluted the effect of firecrackers and stubble burning to some extent this year.

    Delhi’s air quality index (AQI) stood at 310 at 11 pm on Monday. It increased to 326 by 6 am on Tuesday, remained stable till 9 am and then started decreasing. It was 312 at 4.10 pm.

    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’.

    A metro train runs on its track amid low visibility due to smog, post ‘Diwali’ celebrations, in New Delhi, Oct. 25, 2022 (Photo | PTI)

    In neighbouring areas, Noida in Uttar Pradesh (312) and Gurugram (313), Faridabad (311) and Charkho Dadri (301) in Haryana reported very poor air quality at 9 am.

    Greater Noida (282) and Ghaziabad (272) in UP were also nearing the very poor category.

    Bhiwani, Ambala, Bahadurgarh, Sonipat, Jind, Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra, and Panipat in Haryana reported their AQI at 291, 241, 279, 214, 296, 211, 276 and 192 respectively, according to the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) data On Tuesday afternoon.

    In Punjab’s Ludhiana, Amritsar, Mandi Gobindgarh, Patiala, Jalandhar and Khanna, the AQI recorded at 10.10 am was 313, 249, 208, 225, 260 and 212 respectively.

    Jodhpur (337) in Rajasthan and Bulandshahr (329) in UP also recorded very poor air quality.

    Other cities with poor air quality included Rajasthan’s Jaipur (265), Ajmer (226) and Kota (216); Gujarat’s Ahmedabad (243), Belgaum (221) in Karnataka; Jabalpur (235), Katni (237) and Dewas (207) in Madhya Pradesh; in UP, Agra (206), Lucknow (241), Kanpur (218) and Khurja (238); Begusarai (325) in Bihar and Tamil Nadu capital Chennai (229).

    The AQI in the Union Territory of Chandigarh, the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana, was recorded at 178.

    Delhi and Northern states still face an uphill battle

    On Monday night, people in Delhi flouted the ban on firecrackers with impunity though over 400 teams of the Delhi Police, the Department of Revenue, and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee were formed to implement it. The Delhi government had in September announced the ban on the production, sale and use of all types of firecrackers till January 1, 2023, including on Diwali, a practice it has been following for the last two years.

    PM2.5 concentration at most places in the capital was over 550 micrograms per cubic metre by 1 am.

    However, PM2.5 levels dropped below 350 micrograms per cubic metre by 10 am due to warm and windier conditions.

    PM2.5 are fine particles that are 2.5 microns or less in diameter and can travel deep into the respiratory tract, reaching the lungs and entering the bloodstream.

    The Punjab government had allowed bursting firecrackers on Diwali from 8 pm till 10 pm while the Haryana government allowed only green crackers in the state. Farm fires continued at many places in Punjab and Haryana despite efforts to stop the practice.

    Paddy straw burning in Punjab and Haryana is one of the reasons behind the alarming spike in air pollution levels in the national capital in October and November.

    “Bursting of firecrackers led to a sharp increase in air pollution with PM2.5 concentration, on an average, jumping to 550 micrograms per cubic metre across Delhi by 1 am,” Sunil Dahiya, an analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), told PTI.

    Dahiya said stubble-burning in Punjab and Haryana peaks only in October-end and November and hence its contribution to air pollution on Diwali was not very significant.

    Mobile anti-smog guns spray water into the air after their flag-off by Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai, in New Delhi on Monday. (Parveen Negi by EPS)

    However, the wind direction changed to southwesterly, which is unfavourable for the transport of smoke. Hence, the contribution of stubble burning to Delhi’s pollution (five to eight per cent) was also “not very significant”, said Gufran Beig, chair professor, National Institute of Advanced Studies, Indian Institute of Science.

    Emissions from firecrackers and farm fires have contributed significantly to Delhi’s PM2.5 pollution on Diwali over the years. The share of farm fires in Delhi’s PM2.5 pollution was 25 per cent on Diwali in 2021, 32 per cent in 2020 and 19 per cent in 2019.

    Since Diwali was celebrated early in the season this year, moderately warm and windier conditions prevented the rapid accumulation of pollutants from firecrackers bursting and reduced the effect of stubble burning. 

    Other states like Punjab and Tamil Nadu allowed the bursting of firecrackers during a two-hour window.

    Chennai chokes due to ‘poor’ air quality

    The Roads at Velachery were seen completely covered with smog following the Diwali celebrations on Monday Night. (Ashwin Prasath by EPS)

    In Chennai (229), the air quality was recorded as ‘poor’, according to official figures. The city police registered 354 cases regarding various violations, including the time limit allowed for bursting crackers.

    According to the figures uploaded on the website of the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) as of noon, most of the observation points in the city and its surroundings generally had ‘poor’ air quality. The state government had earlier mandated the bursting of crackers between 6-7 AM and 7-8 PM in line with a Supreme Court direction.

    Chennai city wakes up with smog following Diwali celebrations. (Ashwin Prasath by EPS)

  • Many places in Punjab, Haryana report ‘poor’ to ‘very poor’ air quality

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: After Diwali, several parts of Punjab and Haryana on Tuesday morning recorded air quality in the ‘poor’ and ‘very poor’ categories.

    Gurugram in Haryana and Ludhiana in Punjab reported their respective air quality index (AQI) at 313 and 269 at 10:10 am, according to the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) data.

    Among other districts, Faridabad, Charkhi Dadri, Bhiwani, Ambala, Bahadurgarh, Sonipat, Jind, Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra, and Panipat reported their AQI at 311, 301, 291, 241, 279, 214, 296, 211, 276 and 192 respectively.

    In Punjab, Amritsar, Mandi Gobindgarh, Patiala, Jalandhar and Khanna the AQI was recorded at 249, 208, 225, 260 and 212 respectively — all in the ‘poor’ category.

    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 AQI in the Union Territory of Chandigarh, the joint capital of the two states, was recorded at 178.

    The Punjab government had allowed a window of two hours from 8 pm till 10 pm for bursting firecrackers on Diwali while the Haryana government had allowed only green crackers in the state.

    Farm fires also continued at many places in Punjab and Haryana.

    Paddy straw burning in Punjab and Haryana is one of the reasons behind the alarming spike in air pollution levels in the national capital in October and November.

    As the window for Rabi crop wheat is very short after paddy harvest, farmers set their fields on fire to quickly clear off the crop residue.

    CHANDIGARH: After Diwali, several parts of Punjab and Haryana on Tuesday morning recorded air quality in the ‘poor’ and ‘very poor’ categories.

    Gurugram in Haryana and Ludhiana in Punjab reported their respective air quality index (AQI) at 313 and 269 at 10:10 am, according to the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) data.

    Among other districts, Faridabad, Charkhi Dadri, Bhiwani, Ambala, Bahadurgarh, Sonipat, Jind, Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra, and Panipat reported their AQI at 311, 301, 291, 241, 279, 214, 296, 211, 276 and 192 respectively.

    In Punjab, Amritsar, Mandi Gobindgarh, Patiala, Jalandhar and Khanna the AQI was recorded at 249, 208, 225, 260 and 212 respectively — all in the ‘poor’ category.

    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 AQI in the Union Territory of Chandigarh, the joint capital of the two states, was recorded at 178.

    The Punjab government had allowed a window of two hours from 8 pm till 10 pm for bursting firecrackers on Diwali while the Haryana government had allowed only green crackers in the state.

    Farm fires also continued at many places in Punjab and Haryana.

    Paddy straw burning in Punjab and Haryana is one of the reasons behind the alarming spike in air pollution levels in the national capital in October and November.

    As the window for Rabi crop wheat is very short after paddy harvest, farmers set their fields on fire to quickly clear off the crop residue.

  • Air quality remains ‘very poor’; authorities forecast significant deterioration on Sunday

    Delhi’s air quality continued to remain in the ‘very poor’ category Thursday due to unfavourable meteorological conditions that slowed down dispersion of pollutants even as authorities forecast “significant deterioration” in pollution levels over the weekend.

    The overall air quality index (AQI) of Delhi was recorded at 353, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data.

    An AQI between 0 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 CPCB said seven areas in Delhi — Ashok Vihar, Anand Vihar, Jahangirpuri, Mundka, Rohini, Vivek Vihar and Wazirpur — recorded ‘severe’ air quality.

    Twenty areas in the national capital recorded ‘very poor’ air quality while it was ‘poor’ in six areas, it said.

    The level of PM2.5 — particles in the air with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres — was recorded at 206 and the PM10 level was recorded at 360, it said.

    In NCR, Ghaziabad, Faridabad and Noida recorded ‘very poor’ air quality while Gurgaon fell into the ‘poor’ category, CPCB data showed.

    According to the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, the wind speed and ventilation index are “extremely unfavourable” for dispersion of pollutants.

    Ventilation index determines how fast pollutants can get dispersed.

    The ventilation index of around 6,000 sqm/second gets rid of pollutants, but it fell to 2,500 sqm/second on Thursday in the city.

    According to the Centre-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting (SAFAR), the air quality is ‘very poor’ and likely to improve due to a slight increase in the wind speed. It will, however, remain in the ‘very poor’ category for the next two days.

    “Due to cold front up in the north, the wind speed has increased, so a decline (in pollution levels) is expected. However, at the time of withdrawal (of high wind speed) after two to three days, a lot of moisture may enter Delhi which is not favourable for the air quality. The contribution from stubble burning is nil,” the SAFAR said.

    The government agency SAFAR further said the air quality of the national capital is expected to “significantly deteriorate” on Sunday due to a decline in temperature which might lead to entrapment of pollutants.

    It, however, said the air quality even after “significant deterioration” is likely to stay in the ‘very poor’ level and not reach the ‘severe’ category.

    The CPCB has come out with a list of nearly six lakh diesel and petrol vehicles that are over 10-years-old and will not be allowed to ply in Haryana.

    The list gives details of the registration mark series, name of the authority and registration numbers of these vehicles plying in Haryana, including NCR cities of Gurgaon, Sonipat and Bahadurgarh.

    As many as 2,87,613 petrol vehicles that were older than 15 years have been listed while 3,07,453 diesel vehicles more than 10-years-old have also been named, the CPCB said on its website.

  • Artificial rain in Delhi unlikely due to unfavourable met conditions

    The chances of using artificial rain to reduce pollution may not be possible in the near future due to unfavourable meteorological conditions and pending clearance to fly an aircraft for cloud seeding, an IIT Kanpur professor working on project said Tuesday.

    Delhi’s air quality showed a deteriorating trend from Monday and is presently in the “very poor” category.

    Authorities have been mulling to use artificial rain as a solution to clear the pollution but clouds having sufficient water content that is required for inducing artificial rain are not currently available, a senior India Meteorological Department (IMD) official said.

    The other issue is getting clearance to fly the aircraft that will carry out cloud seeding.

    The scientists at IIT Kanpur have made all preparations to induce artificial rain in the national capital to mitigate the hazardous health situation caused by the pollution crisis.

    An IIT Kanpur professor who is working on the project said other than the availability of clouds with required water content for inducing artificial rainfall, they are also waiting for clearance from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to fly the aircraft that will be used for cloud seeding.

    Cloud seeding is the process of combining different kinds of chemical agents, including silver iodide, dry ice and even common salt, with existing clouds in an effort to thicken them and increase the chances of rainfall.

    The process also involves changing the amount and type of precipitation that falls from clouds by dispersing substances (mostly salts) into the air. The dispersion is done from an aircraft.

    While IIT Kanpur is supporting the plan of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to induce artificial rain by providing the salt mix and other logistical support, a group of students at IIT Delhi are also helping the weathermen in monitoring conditions to become favourable for creating the artificial rain.

    Delhi’s air quality has deteriorated to alarming levels in the past three weeks while the overall air quality in the national capital was in the “very poor” category on Tuesday, with some areas in the city experiencing “severe” pollution.

  • Air quality slips to ‘very poor’

    While the overall quality of Delhi is in “very poor” category some areas and pockets in the national Capital are  on the verge of entering into the “severe” category with slightest dip in air quality.

    The overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi was recorded at 309, according to a data provided by System of Air Quality Forecasting and Research (SAFAR).

    While according to data of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) Anand Vihar recorded an AQI of 380, Dwarka Sector 8 registered AQI of 376, ITO recorded 295 and Jahangirpuri recorded an AQI of 349, Rohini an AQI of 353.  The CPCB has deployed 41 teams to monitor the implementation of measures taken to combat air pollution.

    The emergency plan usually gets implemented only if ‘very poor’ or ‘severe’ air pollution levels are recorded for 48 hours, but given the extent

    of winter pollution witnessed by the national Capital, the plan has been already enforced without waiting for the 48 hours.

    Dust from unpaved roads, construction activities and traffic congestion are some of the main local factors causing the air quality of Delhi-NCR to deteriorate as reported by 41 inspection teams deployed to monitor the implementation of norms enforced to combat pollution.

    According to three reports on the inspections conducted by the Central Pollution Control Board till October 7, it was found that a total of 96 inspections were conducted during which 554 violations were recorded.

    Of the 554 cases, 41 per cent violations were for open storage of construction and demolition of waste; 14 per cent for open waste dumping; 13 per cent for dust from unpaved roads; 10 per cent for open dumping of construction waste; 7 per cent for traffic congestion; 5 per cent for road dust re-suspension; and 3 per cent for open burning.

    The CPCB has deployed 41 two-membered teams to monitor pollution in the National Capital Region. Delhi’s air quality for the first time this season deteriorated to “very poor”.

    The concentration of Particulate Matter (PM)10 in Delhi stood at 287 and the PM 2.5 level was recorded at 131.This is the first time this season that the air quality deteriorated to ‘very poor’ category.Further deterioration of air quality is forecast in the coming days with PM10 to reach 330 and PM2.5 to 151.

    The GRAP, notified by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in 2012, prescribes a set of measures to curb air pollution based on the CPCB daily Air Quality Index.