Delhi’s Air Quality Crisis: Ongoing Efforts and Developments to Tackle Severe Pollution

The air quality in Delhi continues to be a cause for concern, with the overall air quality slipping into the ‘severe’ category. Despite light rainfall in some parts of Delhi-NCR, the air quality remained a significant issue, prompting various measures and discussions to address the pollution crisis.

Here are some key updates on Delhi’s air pollution crisis:

1. Odd-Even Strategy Benefits: In an affidavit to the Supreme Court, the Delhi government listed the benefits of the odd-even car rationing strategy. However, the overall air quality remained in the ‘severe’ category.
2. Artificial Rain Efforts: The Delhi government has been making efforts to implement ‘artificial rain’ through cloud seeding around November 20 as a measure to combat the pollution situation.
3. Winter Break Advance: Due to the air pollution crisis, Delhi University has advanced its winter break, which now extends from November 13 to November 19.
4. Healthcare Preparations: The Union Health Ministry has asked Delhi and its neighboring states (Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan) to make necessary healthcare preparations to handle a potential rush of patients due to poor air quality. The ministry emphasized the impact of air pollution on both acute and chronic illnesses.
5. Odd-Even Scheme Deferred: The implementation of the odd-even car rationing scheme has been deferred by the Delhi government due to a significant improvement in air quality after rain. The government will review the situation post-Diwali.
6. Supreme Court’s Intervention: The Supreme Court has questioned the effectiveness of the odd-even rule and ordered an immediate halt to farm fires. The court expressed concerns about the lack of progress in controlling pollution at the ground level.
7. Central Health Advisory: The Union Health Ministry issued an advisory for schools in Delhi, urging students to use public transport or bicycles amid the air emergency.
8. NGT’s Remarks: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) expressed concern about the smoke engulfing cities in Punjab due to crop residue burning and questioned the improvement in air quality.
9. IMD’s Weather Forecast: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicts clouding over Delhi and expects cold winds in the plains of North Western India due to snowfall in hilly areas.
10. Rainfall Impact: Overnight rain brought some relief to Delhi’s air quality, leading to a marginal improvement in the Air Quality Index (AQI).
11. SC’s Orders: The Supreme Court ordered an immediate halt to farm fires and questioned the effectiveness of the odd-even rule. The court emphasized the need to find a solution to reduce pollution levels in the NCR.
12. SC’s Concern on Ground-Level Action: The Supreme Court expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of action at the ground level despite numerous reports and committees addressing the pollution issue.
13. Delhi Government’s Response: The Delhi government, represented by Environment Minister Gopal Rai, mentioned a positive impact on AQI levels due to rainfall and discussed studies on the odd-even scheme’s implementation and the need for artificial rainfall.
14. Centre’s Monitoring: The Centre decided to send flying squads to Punjab and Haryana to monitor stubble burning incidents and submit daily reports.
15. Smog Towers Not a Solution: Central government sources mentioned that smog towers are not a solution to Delhi-NCR’s pollution problem, and the Centre does not favor installing more giant air purifiers.
16. BJP MP’s Criticism: BJP MP Nishikant Dubey criticized Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over the worsening pollution levels, stating that even the Almighty seemed to be against him for ‘poisoning’ the city’s air.
17. Visuals and Impact of Rain: Videos and images from various parts of Delhi showed the impact of the overnight rain on the city’s weather and air quality.
18. Delhi Government’s Financial Support: The Delhi government is ready to bear the entire cost of artificial rain to combat hazardous air pollution in the city.
19. AIIMS and Airport AQI: The Air Quality Index (AQI) at AIIMS and Airport T3 stood at 352 and 475, respectively.
20. Locals’ Response: Some locals expressed relief after the sudden change in weather, with one individual highlighting the improvement and urging elderly people to wear masks when going out.

The situation in Delhi-NCR remains critical, with multiple stakeholders, including the government, judiciary, and citizens, actively involved in addressing the pollution crisis. Measures such as odd-even schemes, artificial rain, and the ban on app-based taxis reflect the urgency to find effective solutions to improve air quality.