: Calm winds on Saturday led to high pollution levels in the Capital, making the air quality on the last day of the odd-even scheme worse than that on April 15 – when phase two of the initiative started.
As the 15-day experiment meant to curb pollution and congestion came to a close at 8 p.m., the levels of particulate matter were more than three times the permissible limits. As per data from the Union Ministry of Earth Science’s SAFAR index, the level of PM2.5 was 184.3 micrograms per cubic metre. This was more than three times the standard of 60 micrograms per cubic metre. The level of PM10 was also thrice the standard of 100 micrograms per cubic metre at 362.2 micrograms per cubic metre.
After three consecutive days of dips in air quality, Friday had seen a slight improvement. “But, on Saturday the wind was calm, leading to an increase in PM levels. This is a normal fluctuation,” said Dr. Gufran Beig, the programme director of SAFAR.
On April 15, when odd-even started, the level of PM2.5 was 120, twice the permissible level. According to experts and officials of the Delhi Pollution Control Committee, it has been difficult to gauge the impact of the scheme.
A senior DPPC official said that cars amounted to nine per cent of Delhi’s pollution. Taking into account exemptions from odd-even, at best there could be a decrease of four per cent in pollution. With temperature and wind varying over the 15 days, the DPCC was trying to detect a 1-2 per cent change in pollution.
“This would have been possible in a laboratory. But, in a city as vast as Delhi it is nearly impossible to identify the impact. There would definitely be some impact as we are reducing the number of cars, but it is difficult to calculate,” said the official.
However, the DPCC will continue to collect air data till May 15 as it has to submit the report to the National Green Tribunal.
