Mask up, Delhiites! ‘Tis the season…
With Diwali 2024 just days away, the residents of Delhi and the National Capital Region have begun to dread the prospect of unclear skies and near-zero visibility outdoors combined with a smoggy atmosphere, which makes breathing nigh impossible. On the morning of October 22, 2024, the air quality in Delhi plummeted to the “very poor” category, with several stations recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) as low as 317 at 9 am, inducing residents into a state of alarm and trepidation of what lay ahead.
Frontline’s report on October 22 mentioned that the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) implemented Stage I of its Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) on October 14. On October 22, the CAQM issued further orders for the implementation of Stage II of GRAP, which includes measures such as vacuum sweeping and water sprinkling of roads, inspection of construction sites, and a ban on the use of coal, firewood, and diesel generator sets.
Even in 2023, the air quality in Delhi remained critically poor in October-November, according to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR)-India. Pollution levels in and around Delhi were consistently in the “critical” category, with air quality index (AQI) readings in the range of 400 at various locations. On the morning of November 6, SAFAR recorded an overall average AQI of 471. In response, the Delhi government implemented a “work from home” policy for 50 per cent of government employees as part of their pollution control plan.
Unfortunately, the issue of air pollution is not a new one and is not limited to Delhi or the National Capital Region (NCR). Several cities in India have been grappling with air pollution for decades, with little substantial action taken beyond political and policy discussions.
In the case of Delhi, there have been numerous studies, reports, papers, seminars, monographs, speeches, and explanations on the subject. A recent study has identified Delhi as the most polluted city in the world, with residents potentially losing a significant portion of their lifespan due to pollution. The study, called the Air Quality Life Index (AQLI), was published in August 2023 by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago. It also indicated that the entire Indian population of 1.3 billion people lives in areas with an annual average particulate pollution level exceeding the WHO’s limit of 5 μg/m3.
Still, nothing much has been done to check air pollution and the issue continues to persist like a haunting spectre in India. In this context, we have selected a collection of insightful stories from our archives to help you better understand the air pollution issue and make informed decisions regarding your use of fossil fuels. Please feel free to share your comments with us at frontline@thehindu.co.in.