Two days after Diwali, the Capital stayed eclipsed under a thick layer of smog on Wednesday.
Sources in the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) said that concentration of PM2.5 pollutant — considered to be the most dangerous pollutant — across the city were ‘alarming’ and reached over 10 times the standard. A DPCC official said that the PM2.5 level had not been so high at all monitoring stations since the ambient air monitoring facilities were set up in 2010.
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The official said that all stations had seen PM2.5 levels of near 700 micrograms per cubic metre (ug/m3). With forecast of high pollution in the coming days, the official said that the PM2.5 level could increase even more.
Mere hours after Diwali celebrations, concentration of the ultra fine PM2.5 rose to “hazardous” levels and reached a peak of 999 ug/m3 — nearly 17 times the safe limit of 60 ug/m3. To offer a comparative perspective, air quality index levels in London on Monday was 139 and 380-400 in China.
Hazardous
“If the trend continues, Delhi is in for yet another deadly winter. Neither policy action nor awareness campaigns could prevent toxic loading of our lungs. This is unacceptable in a city where the lungs of every third child is impaired. The festival of lights cannot turn into scary statistics of illness and deaths,” read a release issued by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).
The Capital, which is ranked as one of the most polluted cities in the world, saw a spike in pollution levels a week before Diwali and hit hazardous levels on Sunday night. The levels dipped slightly on Tuesday, but shot up again on Wednesday.
This prompted the Delhi government to announce a slew of anti-pollution measures, including the use of sprinklers and mist fountains, smoke trappers in crematoriums, and waste management to minimise emission of methane gas caused by burning landfill sites.
Meanwhile, doctors have advised Delhiites to take precautions and watch out for breathlessness, coughing fit, ashthma, pulmonary disease, rhinitis, and lower respiratory tract infection.
Prolonged and concentrated exposure to metal particles are known to be associated with lung cancer, pneumoconiosis, emphysema and high toxic effect on cells in the long run.
“Given their hyper level of physical activities, children inhale more volume of air than adults and therefore breathe in more pollution. Studies by the Central Pollution Control Board and Chittaranja National Cancer Research Institute have shown every third child in Delhi has impaired lungs,” said CSE.
Dr. K.K. Aggarwal of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) said: “The hazardous levels are definitely a reason to panic. Respiratory problems and heart conditions will only get worse in the coming days. PM2.5 is absorbed through the lungs and enters the blood. It increases free radicals, cholesterol deposition and precipitates heart attack, stroke, and hypertension.”
“Short-term exposure to PM2.5 pollutants is associated with acute coronary ischemic — insufficient blood flow in the coronary arteries of the heart — events and the chances of irregular heart rhythm jumps by 26 per cent for each six ug/m3 increase in PM 2.5 levels. Such high levels are potent and can trigger endothelial dysfunction, blood thickening and atrial fibrillation (within 2 hours of exposure),” said Dr. Aggarwal.
Noise pollution
Noise pollution also breached the safe barrier. Decibel readings showed that noise pollution ranged from 66.1 decibel to 75.8 decibel. The safe levels are around 55 decibel.
Monitoring stations recorded PM2.5 levels nearly 10 times the safe limit. Delhi is in for yet another deadly winter.. this is unacceptable in a city where the lungs of every third child is impaired
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