Pollution Levels Higher In Delhi This Diwali As Compared To 2019: Central Pollution Control Board

New Delhi: Pollution levels were higher in Delhi this Diwali as compared to last year due to bursting of firecrackers and stubble burning, according to the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) report filed before the National Green Tribunal (NGT). In the report, the CPCB said Pitampura recorded an increase in PM (particulate matter) and SO2 indicating the impact of firecracker bursting on Diwali. In 2020, on Diwali day, a decrease in PM 10 and PM 2.5 was observed as compared to pre-Diwali day by about 16 per cent and 18 per cent. This reduction is perhaps due to about 6 per cent reduction in the contribution of stubble burning this year, it added.

Also Read: Air Pollution And COVID-19: Is It About Time To Shift From Cloth Mask To Pollution Safe N95 Or N99 Mask?

The board also apprised that as observed from real-time monitoring network (37 CAAQM stations), the hourly average concentration of PM 2.5 started increasing since 11 pm on November 14, it reached a peak in most of the stations at around 1 am and continued at higher levels till 5 am.

“The city-level average calculated for PM 10 and PM 2.5 concentrations on Diwali, were 645 ug/m3 and 483 ug/m3 respectively.” According to the report, in 2019 the PM 10 was increased by 70 per cent and PM 2.5 was surged by 149 per cent on Diwali day in comparison to pre-Diwali day. It also cited comparative meteorology on pre-Diwali day and Diwali day observed during the last five years, which reveals that average mixing height on pre-Diwali day as well as Diwali day was lowest this year (2020), and said that this was due to the falling of Diwali in mid-November when the winter starts impacting decline in temperature and inversion starts.

Mean wind speed at Parivesh Bhawan was 1.3 m/sec (3.4 Km/hour) on Diwali day which is lowest in the last five years creating unfavorable dispersion condition, the report said.

The CPCB carried out ambient air quality and noise level monitoring on the selected pre-Diwali day (November 9) and on Diwali in Delhi like previous years. Ambient air quality was monitored at 40 locations — 3 manual stations and 37 real-time stations.The ambient noise level was monitored at 16 locations — 6 manual and 10 real-time noise monitoring stations.

Also Read: Ahead Of Diwali, States Ban Firecrackers Due To Air Pollution, Rising COVID-19 Cases

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

NDTV – Dettol Banega Swasth India campaign is an extension of the five-year-old Banega Swachh India initiative helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. It aims to spread awareness about critical health issues facing the country. In wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign highlights the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children to prevent maternal and child mortality, fight malnutrition, stunting, wasting, anaemia and disease prevention through vaccines. Importance of programmes like Public Distribution System (PDS), Mid-day Meal Scheme, POSHAN Abhiyan and the role of Aganwadis and ASHA workers are also covered. Only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and become a Swasth or healthy India. The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene.