Environment minister sounds alarm bells as Delhi's air quality plummets to 'very poor'

As a layer of smoke enveloped Delhi on Monday (October 23) morning amid rapidly deteriorating air quality, Environment Minister Gopal Rai called an urgent meeting to review the implementation of pollution mitigation measures.

Delhi's air quality (AQ) turned “very poor” on Sunday (October 22) for the first time since May 17 due to unfavourable meteorological conditions, according to monitoring agencies.

The capital's 24-hour average air quality index stood at 313 on Sunday (October 22), deteriorating from 248 a day before. Delhi last recorded “very poor” air quality on May 17 when the AQI was 336.

Deteriorating AQ of Delhi

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Faridabad recorded a 24-hour average AQI of 322, Ghaziabad 246, Greater Noida 354, Gurugram 255, and Noida 304 on Sunday (October 22).

Officials said Rai's meeting with the departments concerned will focus on effective implementation of pollution mitigating measures. Officials from the India Meteorological Department stated that the air quality in Delhi-NCR will remain “very poor” for the next few days due to a drop in temperature and the influx of emissions from stubble burning.

The wind speed is slow, and there has been scant rainfall in October, unlike the last two years, an official said.

Decision Support System for AQ management

The central government's Decision Support System for Air Quality Management predicts that paddy straw burning may increase from Monday (October 23). According to the system, smoke from paddy straw burning accounted for 16 per cent of Delhi's PM2.5 pollution on Sunday (October 22), which could increase to 30–32 per cent on Monday (October 23).

According to the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, the maximum share of farm fires in Delhi's PM2.5 pollution stood at 34 per cent on November 3 last year and 48 per cent on November 7 in 2021.

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), a statutory body responsible for proactively implementing the pollution control plan known as the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), had on Saturday (October 21) directed authorities in the NCR to increase parking fees to discourage private transport and enhance the services of CNG or electric buses and metro trains amid a likely increase in pollution levels.

Action plan for all stages of air pollution

GRAP categorises actions into four stages: Stage I 'Poor' (AQI 201–300), Stage II 'Very Poor' (AQI 301–400), Stage III 'Severe' (AQI 401–450), and Stage IV 'Severe Plus' (AQI >450).

Stage I mandates the suspension of work at private construction and demolition projects with a plot size equal to or exceeding 500 square metres that are not registered on the state government's portal for remote monitoring of dust mitigation measures. Authorities are also tasked with enforcing a complete ban on the use of coal and firewood in 'tandoors' at hotels, restaurants and open eateries, along with taking punitive action against polluting industrial units and thermal power plants within 300 km of Delhi.

Ensuring proper implementation of guidelines for dust mitigation at construction and demolition project sites and sound environmental management of resulting waste is also part of Stage I.

Boosting public transport

Stage II measures involve increasing parking fees to discourage private transport and enhancing CNG or electric bus and metro services by introducing additional fleets and increasing service frequency.

Under Stage III, BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers are prohibited from operating in Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, and Gautam Buddh Nagar.

Stage III involves a complete halt on construction and demolition work, except for essential government projects, besides mining and stone crushing. It also includes a ban on the entry of light commercial vehicles registered outside Delhi and diesel-guzzling trucks, and medium and heavy goods vehicles (except those involved in essential services).

Stage IV includes banning all types of construction and demolition work. State governments are authorised to decide on online classes for school students and work-from-home arrangements for government and private offices during such situations.

(With agency inputs)