Delhi Government Admits Limited Control Over Pollution Crisis

Delhi Government Admits Limited Control Over Pollution Crisis

VoM News Desk | November 3, 2023 | 12:00 PM IST | Delhi, Politics | Follow on Google News

Delhi Government Admits Limited Control Over Pollution Crisis

Delhi Government Admits Limited Control Over Pollution Crisis

Delhi’s Environment Minister, Gopal Rai, acknowledged on Friday that the Delhi government cannot completely control pollution, as air quality deteriorated to the “severe plus” category with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 471 on Friday morning. Despite implementing several emergency measures, such as a ban on non-essential construction work and restrictions on BS-3 petrol and BS-4 diesel vehicles, the city faces annual air quality crises in the first week of November.

External Sources Major Contributors to Pollution

Minister Rai emphasized that Delhi’s pollution issues cannot be solely attributed to the city itself, as sources outside Delhi contribute twice as much to the city’s pollution as internal sources. The government has been working tirelessly to combat pollution, and air quality has shown improvement over the years. However, managing air quality in the first week of November remains a challenge, particularly due to unfavorable weather conditions.

Continued Efforts to Address Pollution Crisis

Rai shared data highlighting the government’s efforts to improve air quality, with an increasing number of days experiencing good air quality. Despite facing challenges, the Delhi government is not delaying the implementation of the odd-even rule. The Supreme Court has given the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) the authority to make decisions, and the government will act based on their guidance.

Absence of Rainfall and Weather Conditions Contribute to Smog

This year’s smog crisis can be attributed to the lack of rainfall in October, with only 5.4mm of precipitation recorded, compared to 129mm in October 2022 and 123mm in October 2021. Additionally, temperature inversion during the onset of winter causes pollutants to be trapped near the ground, creating smog. Thermal inversion occurs when the air around the ground is heavy and prevents air pollutants from dissipating into the upper atmosphere.

VoM News Desk

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