Delhi Air Pollution Surges on Deepavali

Air Pollution in Delhi during Deepavali: Key Highlights

1. Judicial Ruling: The Supreme Court set a deadline for bursting firecrackers during Deepavali at 10 p.m.

2. Pollution Data:

   • PM2.5 levels surged to 1,753 µg/m³ at Nehru Vihar, which is 116.8 times the WHO's permissible limit of 15 µg/m³.
   • At Patparganj, PM2.5 reached 1,144.8 µg/m³ (over 76 times WHO limit) and at Ashok Vihar, it was recorded at 1,353 µg/m³ (over 90 times WHO limit).
   • Data during peak pollution hours (11 p.m. to 3 a.m.) were reportedly missing, raising concerns from activists about the accuracy of the data.

3. Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) Findings:

   • The DPCC reported missing hourly data for PM2.5, leading to questions about the reliability of pollution statistics.
   • Environmental activist Bhavreen Kandhari highlighted the implications of missing data on pollution reporting.

4. Scientific Analysis:

   • Experts noted that the expedited reduction in pollution levels was attributed to relatively high wind speeds (5-10 km/hr) which contributed to the dispersal of pollutants.
   • The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology noted that the warm temperatures did not drop drastically, aiding ventilation.

5. Expert Recommendations:

   • Gufran Beig, a chair professor at the National Institute of Advanced Studies and SAFAR's founder, indicated that missing data may point to pollution levels exceeding measurement scales, resulting in an underestimation of the Air Quality Index (AQI).

6. Environmental Impact:

   • The drastic increase in pollution levels and subsequent rapid falls highlight the ongoing challenges faced by Delhi in managing air quality, particularly during festive periods.

Conclusion: The incident underscores the need for more robust data collection mechanisms and pollution management strategies to ensure accurate reporting and safeguard public health during high-risk periods such as Deepavali.