Delhi chokes as air pollution levels hit a three-­year high

Why in news?
  • Pollution levels in Delhi peaked to a three­-year high on Sunday, prompting hundreds of distraught people to take to social media to say they wanted to leave the city because of poor air quality.
More in news
  • CPCB Report: 24­hour average air quality index (AQI) - 494 on 3rd Nov as Highest since Nov 6, 2016, when it was 497.
  • SAFAR Report: overall AQI of 708 was 14 times the safe level of 0­50.
  • Delhi’s pollution could impact even south India.
(1) SILAM (System for Integrated modeLling of Atmospheric coMposition)
(a) Chemical­ pollutants dispersal model, Developed by the Finnish Meteorological Institutes,
(b) Indicated that plume of dust and smoke hanging over Delhi would travel towards east India, move into the Bay of Bengal and hike pollution levels as far away as Tamil Nadu.
(2) Comments of India Meteorological Department(IMD)
(a) Pollution reach to South India quite unlikely.
(b) Chemical­ transport model being tested shows a rapid dispersal that will make its presence felt by Sunday night.
(c) It’s unlikely for the current pattern of wind to transport pollutants so far.
  • Monitoring on daily Basis:
(1) Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba will monitor the worsening pollution situation in Delhi and NCR on a daily basis, decided at a high level meeting.
(2) Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister reviewed the situation from the States of Punjab, Haryana and Delhi.
  • Other problems
  • Flights Delayed & cancelled due to poor visibility
(1) All government and private schools shut till Nov 5 in Delhi, Ghaziabad, Noida, Greater Noida, Gurugram & Faridabad.
  • Reasons to be Blamed:
(1) Pollution and adverse weather conditions.
(2) Strong wind expected to pick up and flush pollutants in next 12 hours as per meteorologists.
(3) Air quality warranted declaration of a “public health emergency” as per authorities monitoring pollution.
Sources
The Hindu




Posted by Jawwad Kazi on 4th Nov 2019
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