Can Delhi breathe easy this Diwali?
Delhi, the world’s most polluted city, is seeing a slight decline in pollution this year compared to pollution numbers pre-pandemic, a new study has found. The study probed pollution levels across seven consecutive pre-winters and winters and found a tiny dip in PM 2.5 concentration in Delhi’s air. The report, released by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), an India-based green think tank says PM 2.5 concentration levels, which used to hover around 180-190 microgram per cubic metre between October to February pre-pandemic, have come down to 150-160 microgram per cubic metre since then. Breathing better The CSE study is based on real-time data from 81 air quality monitoring stations in the region. · Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh, part of the National Capital Region (NCR) saw the greatest improvement in PM 2.5 concentration – 30%. · Greater Noida saw a 28% decline in PM 2.5 concentration, Noida 23%, Faridabad 16% and Delhi 12%. · Gurugram, with 11% improvement, was the worst performer in this regard. Peak pollution, the worst 24-hour average, used to surpass 800 microgram per cubic metre at individual air quality monitoring stations before the pandemic. “It has been hovering in the 700-800 microgram per cubic metre range during the last three winters,” says the report. The winter of 2021-22 was less polluted as compared to 2020-21 for most NCR cities. But not breathing easy While the study does point to an improvement in air quality, the numbers are hardly big enough to make a significant difference. Ghaziabad, which saw the greatest improvement, still has a PM 2.5-level two-and-half times over the 24-hour standard, the report said.