Vehicles, dust, and biomass burning worsen Delhi's air quality: Report

14 Oct 2024 CW Team

The report indicated that Delhi has seen variations in air quality from 2016 to 2024. As of September 19, the city recorded 96 days when air quality was classified as poor, very poor, or severe. In comparison, there were 159 such days in 2023, 202 in 2022, 168 in 2021, 139 in 2020, 183 in 2019, 206 in 2018, 211 in 2017, and 243 in 2016, underscoring the changes in air quality over the years.

The latest Source Apportionment Study for the National Capital Territory of Delhi, highlighted in the DPCC's report, identified major contributors to air pollution, including vehicular emissions, road dust, construction activities, and biomass burning. To address these issues, the Delhi government has implemented stringent measures to manage dust from construction and demolition activities, alongside robust controls on vehicular emissions.

Additionally, the report emphasized the promotion of electric vehicles (EVs), with authorities aiming to install thousands of EV charging stations across the city to facilitate a shift towards cleaner transportation. A significant aspect of this initiative is the deployment of 498 anti-smog guns at large construction sites, following a proportional distribution strategy based on site size. According to the Central Air Quality Management (CAQM) Policy, construction sites ranging from 5,000 to 10,000 square meters will have one anti-smog gun, while those exceeding 20,000 square meters will have four guns installed.

The report outlined that key initiatives in the strategy include enhanced monitoring of air quality at 40 locations throughout the city and tracking eight critical ambient air quality parameters. This data is crucial for understanding pollution trends and implementing targeted interventions.

A report released highlighted that vehicles, road dust, construction dust, biomass burning, and industrial emissions continue to contribute to Delhi's air pollution during the winter months. The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) stated in its report, published on Thursday, that the national capital experienced fluctuations in air quality from 2014 to 2024. The report indicated that Delhi has seen variations in air quality from 2016 to 2024. As of September 19, the city recorded 96 days when air quality was classified as poor, very poor, or severe. In comparison, there were 159 such days in 2023, 202 in 2022, 168 in 2021, 139 in 2020, 183 in 2019, 206 in 2018, 211 in 2017, and 243 in 2016, underscoring the changes in air quality over the years. The latest Source Apportionment Study for the National Capital Territory of Delhi, highlighted in the DPCC's report, identified major contributors to air pollution, including vehicular emissions, road dust, construction activities, and biomass burning. To address these issues, the Delhi government has implemented stringent measures to manage dust from construction and demolition activities, alongside robust controls on vehicular emissions. Additionally, the report emphasized the promotion of electric vehicles (EVs), with authorities aiming to install thousands of EV charging stations across the city to facilitate a shift towards cleaner transportation. A significant aspect of this initiative is the deployment of 498 anti-smog guns at large construction sites, following a proportional distribution strategy based on site size. According to the Central Air Quality Management (CAQM) Policy, construction sites ranging from 5,000 to 10,000 square meters will have one anti-smog gun, while those exceeding 20,000 square meters will have four guns installed. The report outlined that key initiatives in the strategy include enhanced monitoring of air quality at 40 locations throughout the city and tracking eight critical ambient air quality parameters. This data is crucial for understanding pollution trends and implementing targeted interventions.

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