Air Pollution Rises in Delhi, Warning ‘Worst’ is yet to Come

 Air quality in India’s capital, Delhi, has reached poor levels and could worsen in the coming days, officials said.Delhi remains one of the most polluted cities in the world throughout the year.

But the air here becomes more poisonous in winter due to the tendency to explosion agricultural crop residues, low wind speed and burning of firecrackers during festivals.Polluted air causes serious health problems among Delhi every year.

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 According to government data, the level of PM 2.5 there was 306 on Monday.

PM 2.5 is the amount of dust particles that can clog the lungs and creator of many diseases. Its amount from 101 to 200 is considered moderate and from 201 to 300 is weak. More than that amount of PM 2.5 means “very poor” air quality, while more than 500 is considered “extreme”.

Delhi’s air quality is expected to remain “extremely poor” for the next few days, according to VK Soni, a scientist at the India Meteorological Department.

Residents have also complained about the cold especially in the morning.

“I feel like Delhi’s pollution level is increasing since last 10-12 days. We can feel it in our eyes,” a cyclist told ANI news agency.

Some locals say that this is just the beginning of Delhi’s pollution cycle and the worst is yet to come.

Pollution control plan :

 Delhi remains one of the most polluted cities in the world throughout the year

According to Delhi State Government’s Environment Minister Gopal Ray, the second phase of a strategy called Graded Response Action Plan has been implemented to deal with the effects of increasing pollution. According to this strategy, all public transport vehicles, including the Delhi Metro Rail and electric buses, have been directed to run more frequently so that emissions from vehicles in the city are reduced.

Minister Ray informed that in addition to the 13 pollution hotspots identified so far, special teams will also be deployed at eight more places where the level of pollution has been recorded higher.”These teams will focus on sources of pollution including biomass burning, dust and vehicular traffic,” he said.

Cause of air pollution :

Cause of a combination of factors including vehicular and industrial smog, dust and seasonal cycles, Delhi has become the world’s most polluted capital.

Every year at this time, wind speed slows down, trapping pollutants in the lower atmosphere.

The practice of burning crop residue left behind in fields is also a major cause of pollution, but it has not yet gained momentum in areas near Delhi. This trend is expected to increase in the coming days.

Farmers in the western regions of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh have been burning crop residues to clear their fields for the next cropping cycle.

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Safar, an air quality forecasting organization, said that as the speed of northwesterly winds blowing towards Delhi from these states increases, it will bring smog into the capital city.

However, India’s pollution problem is not limited to Delhi. Its northern cities regularly top the list of the world’s most polluted cities.

Air quality in India’s financial capital, Mumbai, last week measured as low. Pollution levels there have beaten Delhi several times this month.

Officials said that pollution has increased due to the end of rains and construction work.