After widespread firecracker celebrations on Diwali, Delhi’s air quality, although affected, didn’t go into the “severe” category it was predicted to but attained “poor” on Saturday. That improvement, mostly from northwest winds which have assisted in distributing the pollutants around, came despite Central Pollution Control Board data stating the city saw peaks Friday following celebrations.
Impact of Diwali on Air Quality of Delhi
Days leading up to and on the festival, air quality worsens in the capital due to colder temperatures that have been coupled with low winds and explosions of firecrackers everywhere in the NCR region. The story was just the same for this festival season, despite the government imposing a firecracker ban on all its citizenry, forcing people across the capital city to hold their festivities to celebrate Diwali. The aftermath that followed is more in a negative way towards air quality.
At best of times, such as at 6am on the Friday, this is merely a faint shroud from foggy haze over city, putting the Air Quality Index for Delhi at the formidable figure of 362, which has been billed as reading “very poor,” and eventually to make it severe, but more pleasant conditions weather-wise prevailed, because that northwestish wind arrived late, stopping pollutants dispersal as if on their tracks. By the afternoon, Delhi’s 24-hour average AQI improved marginally to 339, and by Saturday morning, the AQI had further declined to 290, classifying Delhi’s air quality as “poor.”
Wind and Temperature Effects
The above-normal temperature and steady winds allowed the dispersal of pollutants that were the main reasons for this unexpected improvement in Delhi’s air quality. Normally, the density of air is high along with low wind speed during winters, which leads to close trapping of pollutants near ground level. But this season of Diwali proved to be warmer with better wind speed that broke hazy conditions and brought back particulate matter in control.
Mahesh Palawat, vice president of meteorology and climate change at Skymet, said the northwest winds that came in helped nullify the firecracker effect. That would otherwise have seen a rise in pollution levels and taken way to severely poor air quality conditions. The environmentalists were agreeing with the observation of Palawat. They highlighted the fact that the air quality turned bad on Diwali but remained below the level of extreme due to favourable wind directions.
Air Quality at Specific Locations
Although the AQI improved, many places in Delhi reported “very poor” air quality on the Sameer app, which gives real-time updates of air quality based on the data from the Central Pollution Control Board. The other areas that recorded higher levels of pollution included Alipur, Anand Vihar, Ashok Vihar, Aya Nagar, Bawana, Burari, Mathura Road, IGI Airport, Dwarka, Jahangirpuri, Mundka, Patparganj, Rohini, Sonia Vihar, and Wazirpur.
Areas have been seen recording high spikes of PM10 and PM2.5 through firecracker use. In fine particulate matter PM2.5, there has been a decline by 4% from the past year. The large size PM10 particles showed a surge of 11% on average. These particles, especially PM2.5, have been linked to health problems, and thus the cleaner air is both remarkable and highly concerning to residents, especially those with respiratory issues.
Implementation and Challenges of Anti-Pollution Measures
The Delhi government had brought in a slew of anti-pollution measures ahead of Diwali, including a ban on firecrackers. But it soon became hard to enforce because many across the city flouted the ban and added to the spiking levels of PM10 and PM2.5. The DPCC admitted in its Diwali report that there was non-compliance but said the overall air quality did not touch extreme levels as had been predicted.
Experts have stressed further strict implementation of air quality regulations during festive seasons wherein the usual spurt of pollutants usually occurs. In addition, environmental advocates pointed out how the occasional favorable winds lowered the acute effects of air pollutants temporarily but long-term solutions to chronic air-quality issues must be implemented and done regarding Delhi.
Expectations Facing the Future
While Delhi’s air quality has eased to “poor” on Saturday, the meteorologists warn that it may deteriorate in coming days as temperatures fall and wind speeds decrease. Conditions of lower temperatures and lower wind activity are conducive conditions for accumulation of pollutants, particularly during winter months. CPCB has alerted residents to monitor the air quality levels and take appropriate precautions especially those with lung issues or vulnerabilities.
Environmentalists feel that AQI in Delhi may touch the “very poor” or “severe” mark again if favorable weather conditions subside, which is a seasonal phenomenon. With winter looming, long-term high pollution levels remain a threat for Delhi residents.
Conclusion
The sudden fall in pollution levels due to favorable winds underscores the role of meteorological factors in determining Delhi’s air quality. Delhi was able to avoid the expected sharp increase in acute pollution post-Diwali. However, long-term air quality concerns in the capital require integrated policy interventions that directly target the source. A mix of initiatives to contain pollution sources at the vehicular and industrial levels along with enhanced action on seasonal bans will determine sustainable progress in air quality.
Residents are being instructed to keep a watch for AQI levels and undertake measures to minimize exposure over the coming days because, with this weather, they can expect a repeat of very poor air quality again. Delhi’s post-Diwali experience sets off both challenges and the prospect of solutions in pollution control in urban areas and on high-risk days during periods of festivals.
Source: Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) report, and Skymet meteorological insights.