Experts say that the city woke up to yet another smog-filled morning after Diwali because of the lack of responsive mechanism and comprehensive action. The observation came in a release issued by NGO, Greenpeace (India).
To understand the impact of firecrackers on air quality, Greenpeace assessed the CPCB data on October 18, 19 and 20.
There was a spike on 20th morning between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m., taking the air quality readings to over 1,000 microgram/m3 for most of the stations.
When the data is compared to the same days last year, there appears to be no significant difference.
The average daily pollution levels for 18th and 19th October, 2016 was between 150-165 microgram/m3 while the levels were 154-181 microgram/m3 this year.
Not just about crackers
Commenting on the scenario, Sunil Dahiya, Campaigner, Greenpeace India said:
“There is enough evidence to prove the regional and comprehensive nature of air pollution. The need today is to curb the major sources of pollution along with the episodic sources, such as Diwali firecrackers, to achieve breathable air through the year, across geographies.”
This year’s average PM 2.5 levels (181 microgram/m3) is significantly lower than 2016 (343 microgram/m3) during Diwali.Delhi had witnessed its worst smog in 2016 after Diwali, but there was evidence to indicate that firecrackers alone could not explain its persistence.
“There are other sources that collectively deteriorate air quality... We need stronger regulatory action and better designed awareness campaigns to enforce existing plans,” said Mr. Dahiya.
