As Delhi gears up to celebrate Chhath Puja, a festival deeply intertwined with the sanctity of water, the city finds itself grappling with a double whammy of pollution. The Yamuna River, a focal point for the festival’s rituals, was spotted with a thick layer of toxic foam in the Kalindi Kunj area on Sunday, raising concerns about water quality and the safety of devotees.
Adding to the woes, Delhi’s air quality has plunged to alarming levels, registering in the ‘very poor’ category with an AQI of 381 at 4:00 pm on Sunday, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The situation worsened further as thick fog continued to blanket the city, with three days having passed since Diwali. Several monitoring stations recorded ‘severe’ air quality, with eight locations registering AQIs exceeding 400. Punjabi Bagh recorded an AQI of 423, Mundka 422, Wazirpur 420, and Ashok Vihar 422, highlighting the widespread deterioration in air quality. The AQI in Dwarka was 410, Rohini 436, and Jahangirpuri 414, marking a significant increase from the previous day when the average AQI hovered around 290.
As per the CPCB AQI index, a reading between 0 and 50 is considered ‘good,’ 51 and 100 is considered ‘satisfactory,’ 101 and 200 is ‘moderate,’ 201 and 300 is ‘poor,’ 301 and 400 is ‘very poor,’ and 401-500 is ‘severe.’
Responding to the concerning air quality situation, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai announced on Saturday that around 200 mobile anti-smog guns will be deployed across the city to combat dust pollution. The minister stressed the multi-pronged approach of the government, stating, “Whether it is dust pollution, vehicle pollution or biomass burning, our teams are continuously working on targeting these three, on the ground.”
Vehicular emissions and farm fires are identified as the major contributors to Delhi’s pollution. In an attempt to curb vehicular pollution, the state government has launched the ‘Red Light On, Gaadi Off’ campaign and intensified the sticker campaign on autos. Additionally, the government has increased the frequency of water spraying across the city, dividing the spraying into three shifts for eight hours each to ensure regular and large-scale dust control measures.
The Delhi government has also urged neighbouring states, including Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, to take proactive measures to minimize farm fires. This collective effort is crucial to curb the transboundary pollution that significantly impacts Delhi’s air quality.
With the air quality deteriorating rapidly, the city faces a serious challenge in ensuring the health and well-being of its residents, especially during a time of religious observances and gatherings. The government’s efforts to control pollution need to be bolstered with public participation and awareness to create a cleaner and healthier environment for everyone.
