Delhi Chokes Under Severe-Plus Air Pollution, Emergency Measures Enforced

New Delhi: As the air quality deteriorated to the severe-plus category, the Centre on Sunday ordered a ban on construction work related to linear public projects in Delhi-NCR and the entry of polluting trucks and commercial four-wheelers into the capital. These measures constitute the final stage, Stage IV, of the Centre’s air pollution control plan, which is activated at least three days before the Air Quality Index (AQI) crosses the 450 level in the capital. The proactive implementation, however, could not happen this time.

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), a statutory body responsible for formulating strategies to combat pollution in the region, has asked Delhi and NCR states to implement all emergency measures, which also include work-from-home directives for 50 per cent of staff in government and private offices.

Under the final stage (Stage IV) of the Graded Response Action Plan, only CNG, electric and BS VI-compliant vehicles from other states are allowed to enter Delhi, with exemptions granted to those involved in essential services. As per the latest eight-point CAQM order, all medium and heavy goods vehicles not engaged in essential services are also banned in the national capital.

With toxic haze lingering over Delhi for the sixth consecutive day, the Delhi government ordered all primary schools to shut till November 10. In light of this situation, students in Classes 6 to 12 have been provided the choice to transition to online classes.

“As pollution levels continue to remain high, primary schools in Delhi will stay closed till November 10. For Classes 6 to 12, schools are being given the option of shifting to online classes,” city education minister Atishi said on X. Earlier, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal had announced the closure on of all government and private primary schools in the national capital on November 3 and November 4.

The Delhi government has also called an emergency meeting on Monday to implement stricter curbs under final stage of the air pollution control plan. To curb the rising pollution, the Delhi Fire Services has already started spraying water at several hotspots. “A total of 12 fire engines have been pressed into service to curb pollution. These fire tenders have already started sprinkling water at different locations which have been identified as hotspots,” DFS director Atul Garg said. The officer said he was hopeful that sprinkling water might be able to bring some respite to citizens.

The AQI deteriorated from 415 on Saturday to 463 on Sunday due to the unfavourable meteorological conditions and a spike in stubble-burning incidents in neighbouring states.  The air crisis is not confined to Delhi alone: several cities in neighbouring Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh also reported hazardous air quality. Ghaziabad clocked an AQI of 410, Gurgaon 441, Noida 436, Greater Noida 467 and Faridabad 461.

Air quality in Delhi-NCR has declined over the past week due to a gradual drop in temperatures, calm winds that trap pollution, and a surge in post-harvest paddy straw burning across Punjab and Haryana. According to an analysis conducted by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee, the capital experiences peak pollution from November 1 to November 15 when the number of stubble-burning incidents in Punjab and Haryana increases.

Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai said the stubble burning in Punjab does not have as much impact on the national capital as the smoke coming from farm fires in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. He said that as per the Centre’s data, cases of stubble burning in Punjab have been reduced. “Central government figures show that less stubble has been burned in Punjab this year in comparison to last year. Punjab’s stubble smoke does not have as much impact on Delhi as that of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. This is because there is no movement in the wind. Only if the wind blows, the smoke of Punjab will reach Delhi. Right now, there is smoke around Delhi. The smoke of stubble from Haryana and Uttar Pradesh is reaching Delhi,” he said.

The concentration of PM2.5 fine particulate matter, which is capable of penetrating deep into the respiratory system and triggering health problems, has exceeded the government-prescribed safe limit of 60 micrograms per cubic metre by seven to eight times at multiple locations throughout Delhi-NCR. It was 80 to 100 times the healthy limit of 5 micrograms per cubic meter set by the WHO.

Data from the Central Pollution Control Board shows that Delhi’s air quality index increased by over 200 points between October 27 and November 3, culminating in a descent into the “severe-plus” category (above 450) on Friday. Friday’s 24-hour average AQI (468) was the worst since the previous high of 471 recorded on November 12, 2021.

Delhi’s air quality ranks among the worst in the world’s capital cities. A report by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago in August said that air pollution is shortening lives by almost 12 years in Delhi.