Stubble burning, vehicular emissions: Top contributors of pollution in Delhi

As a layer of smog continued to engulf the national capital, the air quality on Tuesday stood under the "very poor" category. According to the Central Pollution Control Board, the city's overall AQI at 8.30 am was 384.

In Short

• Industries, construction, waste burning add to pollution
• Neighbouring cities significantly contribute to Delhi's pollution
• Overall Delhi air quality on Tuesday very poor, severe in some areas

Delhi has witnessed worsening air quality levels for the past few weeks now. However, the pollution level has spiked after Diwali due to the bursting of firecrackers, despite a government ban on the selling and purchasing.

On Monday, pollution in the national capital deteriorated further, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) surpassing 400 in several parts of the city, signalling a shift into the "severe" category. This came after a spike in pollution levels on Sunday in the aftermath of Diwali.

As the city chokes, it is only imperative to know which are the major contributors.

STUBBLE BURNING

On Monday, close to one-fourth of Delhi's air pollution could be traced back to stubble burning, a significant environmental challenge that resurfaces each year.

According to data from the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, the exact contribution of stubble burning to Delhi's pollution levels yesterday was 23.4 per cent. Notably, the contribution of stubble burning to Delhi's pollution was almost 15 per cent on Saturday and 20 per cent on Sunday.

This highlighted the persistent issue of stubble burning by farmers in neighbouring states, which significantly affects air quality in the national capital.

VEHICULAR EMISSIONS

Also on Monday, vehicular emissions emerged as another notable contributor, accounting for 13.7 per cent of the city's pollution.

This spike was attributed to the resumption of work after the long Diwali weekend, as offices reopened and commuter traffic increased.

INDUSTRIES, CONSTRUCTION WORK

Within Delhi and its surrounding areas, industries also contributed 3.4 per cent to the region’s pollution levels.

While construction activities added nearly 2 per cent, road dust was responsible for 1 per cent of the total pollution in Delhi.

WASTE BURNING

Waste burning, an ongoing concern in the city, added over 1.3 per cent to the pollution. The operation of Delhi's energy sources contributed 1.7 per cent to the capital’s total emissions.

Residential sources were responsible for 3.6 per cent, further underscoring the multifaceted nature of the pollution crisis.

POLLUTION FROM NEIGHBOURING CITIES

In addition to local sources, pollution from neighbouring cities also plays a significant role. Ghaziabad was the highest contributor among these cities, accounting for 9 per cent of Delhi's pollution, followed by Noida at 6.5 per cent.

Gurugram and Faridabad contributed 2.6 per cent and 2.2 per cent, respectively.

These figures reflect the complex regional interplay in air pollution, requiring coordinated policy responses across the National Capital Region to effectively address this annual challenge and improve the air quality for Delhi's residents.

DELHI AIR QUALITY 'VERY POOR' ON TUESDAY

As a layer of smog continued to engulf the national capital, the AQI on Tuesday stood under the "very poor" category. According to the Central Pollution Control Board, the city's overall AQI at 8.30 am was 384.

However, the air quality in Mundka (416), Ashok Vihar (418), Vivek Vihar (424), Anand Vihar (457), New Moti Bagh (414), Rohini (401) and Dwarka Sector 8 (404) surpassed the "severe" category.

The weather office has forecast mainly clear skies for Tuesday, with the maximum and minimum temperatures expected to settle at around 32 and 16 degrees Celsius.