New Delhia few moments ago
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Dust and dirt coming from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Rajasthan gets trapped in Delhi during cold days. This increases pollution.
Air pollution in the capital Delhi and its surrounding areas has reached dangerous levels. On the other hand, air pollution in two cities of Pakistan, Lahore and Multan, has crossed 2000 AQI (Air Quality Index). In view of this, the Government of Pakistan imposed a complete lockdown in these two cities.
Every year in winter, air pollution in the Indus-Gangetic plains crosses dangerous levels. In North and Central India, the process of burning stubble starts after Diwali. Due to this, the pace of increase in pollution also starts increasing. Recently, in a satellite image released by NASA, a large part of India and Pakistan is seen covered with a blanket of fog.
Dust and soil from Pakistan and Afghanistan are increasing Delhi’s pollution.
In winter, 72% of Delhi’s wind comes from the northwest. With these winds, the dust from Rajasthan, Pakistan and Afghanistan reaches the Delhi-NCR area. At the same time, due to thermal inversion, pollution is not able to spread to the upper layer of the atmosphere. It increases rapidly in the areas around Delhi.
For the last 20 years, there has been a 3 km thick layer of smog continuously during the winter season from Peshawar to Dhaka. This layer becomes more dense during the winter season. The Himalayas prevent it from flying, now the area of Delhi is land locked i.e. there is only land around it, no sea. In such a situation, air pollution here crosses serious levels.
Thermal inversion is a major reason for air pollution in Delhi.
- Generally the temperature decreases with increasing altitude.
- When the temperature also increases with increase in altitude, it is called thermal inversion.
- This happens because a layer of hot air sits on top of a layer of cold air.
- During the winter months in Delhi, mist and fog get trapped under the layer of warm air, near the ground.
- Due to increasing cold, it is unable to spread upwards and the pollution particles get trapped in it.
Indian government’s initiative to stop air pollution
To stop farmers from burning stubble, the government has launched the Crop Residue Management (CRM) scheme. Under this scheme, farmers are given subsidy to purchase Super SMS Attachment, Turbo Happy Seeder, Rotavator and SuperSeeder. These machines are helpful in eliminating stubble without burning it.
After the Supreme Court’s rebuke on November 18, the Delhi government has implemented the fourth stage of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). Under this, measures like closing thermal power plants and banning construction activities are taken.
Apart from these, Delhi government also takes measures to control pollution through ‘war against pollution’, change from BS-IV to BS-VI, promotion of electric vehicles (EV), odd-even policy.
America-Britain controlled air pollution by promoting public transport.
- The US government established the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by passing the Clean Air Act in 1970. This agency was given legal authority to control pollution. The EPA successfully controlled vehicle pollution by adopting strict standards.
- The EPA began eliminating lead in gasoline in the 1970s and banned leaded gasoline altogether after 1995. As a result, lead levels in the air decreased by 94% between 1980 and 1999.
- In many cities in Britain, Australia, America and Sweden, public transport has been made completely free to control air pollution. Luxembourg was the first to start free public transport in the world.
- Mexico started the Odd Even scheme in the capital Mexico City in 1979 to control pollution. Later many other countries of the world adopted this model. Delhi government adopted this model in 2016.
- Till a few years ago, air pollution used to be a big problem in China. China implemented a series of air pollution control programs to deal with it. Under this, promotion of urban rail expansion in Beijing, use of advanced technology like high-resolution satellite remote sensing, laser radar and creation of state-of-the-art integrated air quality monitoring network.
