Delhi Air Pollution Archives - Page 2 of 2 - Lokmarg

SC To Hear On Nov 10 Plea On Worsening Air Pollution In Delhi-NCR

By LokMarg 4th November 2022

The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear on November 10 a plea seeking measures to curb worsening air pollution in Delhi-NCR.

A bench of Chief Justice of India UU Lalit and Bela M Trivedi posted the case for hearing on November 10 after an advocate mentioned the matter for urgent hearing.
Advocate Shashank Shekhar Jha, who filed the plea, told the bench that stubble burning has increased in Punjab.

“Parali burning has increased in Punjab. Even normal people can’t walk in such a situation,” Jha argued.

The plea sought direction to summon Chief Secretaries of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh and directed them to personally take responsibility for no case of stubble burning anywhere.

It sought direction for issuing fresh guidelines to all the States with respect to stubble burning. The plea asked to issue guidelines to each and every State to take necessary measures in order to reduce pollution including the installation of smog towers, plantation drives, affordable public transport, etc.

“Public at large is forced to inhale polluted air and the oxygen filled with smog. Despite the clear orders of this Court to stop stubble burning and construction causing air pollution, there is rampant pollution in the National Capital Territory and other places making it difficult for people to survive,” said the plea adding that the situation is directly against the Right to life of people at large.

The petition said the AQI level on November 3 has been between 440 to 460 across Delhi which as per various sources “affects healthy people and seriously impacts those with existing diseases”.

An AQI of 400 or higher is considered “severe,” and it can affect both healthy people and those who already have illnesses, it said.

It sought direction for appointing a high-level committee under the chairmanship of a retired Supreme Court judge to tackle the air-pollution crisis due to stubble burning.

The plea further urged that the schools, colleges, government, and private offices go virtual/online in order to protect the life of people at large.

The advocate said that the pollution is caused because states like Punjab have failed to provide an alternative to the farmers against stubble burning.to control pollution. (ANI)

Diwali, Farm Fires Bring An Annual Breathing Nightmare

By LokMarg 2nd November 2022

Uma Kant Yadav, a 28-year-old entrepreneur in Noida who suffers from asthma, says the air quality of NCR post-Diwali is constantly worsening, causing him respiratory hardships

I belong to Allahabad. A decade back, I shifted to Noida for better opportunities and started a small tourism-based operation from NCR. At the time of my relocation, I had mild asthma. However, with the passage of time as the air quality continued to deteriorate, my condition became severer. Today I cannot take the risk of moving out of my house without an inhaler.

The smog condition after Diwali, when a toxic mix of firecrackers residue and farm fires smoke fills up the air, brings the worst nightmare when I have no place to hide from the thick air. While people enjoy burning crackers and celebrating the festival, I remain locked inside my room praying that people get some wisdom and empathy to feel the pain of people like us.

In those times, I can compare my situation literally with a stray dog running from pillar to post on the roads, trying to run away from the loud burst of crackers, but in vain. Indoors, I suffer from similar anxious moments and breathing difficulties.

I know about the suffering caused by Covid-19, but for me the lockdown period brought much-need relief. The air was clean, vehicular pollution was nil and November smog at a minimum. But this year the air quality is worse than the pre-Covid levels, and my worst fears are back: that conditions will only get worse from here each passing year.

I have been advised to – and I also try to – go to Allahabad during this period. But, ironically, this is the time when I get a lot of business as travel demands are at peak due to Diwali and Chhat Puja season. For me it is like choosing between a rock and a hard place; a choice between livelihood and health. This is a tough call for a middle class entrepreneur.

ALSO READ: ‘I Am A Pollution Refugee Forced To Leave Delhi’

The ban (imposed by the AAP government on firecrackers in Delhi) is of little effect as you cannot impose a guard in every nook and corner of the huge capital. Besides, I feel the government itself is not keen on implementing the order and one could see the open sale and use of firecrackers all over Delhi ahead of Diwali. I also feel some law-fearing citizens of Delhi move to NCR areas outside the Capital to burst crackers, adding to the woes of people like us.

The seasonal stubble burning by farmers in Punjab and Haryana, and the winds blowing eastward, caused double misery in the same period. This year, despite the AAP government in both Delhi and Punjab, there has been no improvement in the situation; air pollution has only gone worse as the AQI parameters tell us routinely.

I feel the government is also helpless as until and unless we have a responsible and emphatic society, restrictions or penal provision are of no use. If we want to provide and promise a better world for our future generations to live in, people have to rise up and take a stand today. Otherwise, this beautiful planet will become hell by the time we leave it and our children will curse us for that.

As told to Rajat Rai

Delhi Wakes Up To ‘Poor’ Air Quality, Smog On Diwali Eve

By LokMarg 23rd October 2022

A day before Diwali, the Delhiites woke up under a blanket of smoggy sky as the air quality remained in the “poor” category with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) at 266.

According to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR), the AQI index in the overall Delhi region was in the ‘poor’ category at 266, ‘very poor’ category in the Delhi University area at 329, ‘poor’ quality in Mathura Road and Lodhi Road at 293 and 218 respectively on Sunday morning.

The levels of PM 2.5 and PM 10 were recorded at 110 in the ‘poor’ and 237 in the ‘moderate’ category respectively.

Meanwhile, Noida’s overall air quality also stood in the ‘very poor’ category with the AQI at 311. However, the air quality in Gurugram stood in the ‘moderate’ category with an AQI of 139.

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered good, 51 and 100 satisfactory, 101 and 200 moderate, 201 and 300 poor, 301 and 400 very poor, and 401 and 500 severe.

SAFAR also advised the sensitive groups to reduce prolonged or heavy exertion and to take more breaks and do less intense activities.

“Asthmatics, keep medicine ready if symptoms of coughing or shortness of breath occur. Heart patients, see a doctor if get palpitations, shortness of breath, or unusual fatigue,” it said in its advisory.

Meanwhile, the Delhi government has banned the production, storage, sale, and bursting of crackers this year as well as fines and jail terms in case of violation.

In a bid to reduce vehicular pollution, the Delhi Government also announced the ‘Red Light On Gaadi Off’ campaign.

Under the campaign, public representatives and officials will motivate commuters to turn their vehicles off at red lights in a bid to curb vehicular pollution.

The air quality in the national capital is also affected because of stubble burning in surrounding Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Rajasthan in the winter.

As Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) continue to breathe toxic air, the Chairman of Fortis Escorts Heart Institute Dr. Ashok Seth said that the pollution not only damages the lungs but it also affects our hearts.

“While pollution has only been linked to lung problems as asthma gets worsens, people often ignored the proven fact that air pollution leads to increased heart damage and we should not ignore this.”

“In fact, as we have been seeing the increase in heart disease in young people in the last few years, I believe that it is caused by air pollution that has got worse over the last 20 years as well as their lifestyles. For the last 20 years, this has been recognized by all authoritative scientific bodies of cardiology,” Dr. Seth said.

Dr. Seth explained how air pollution causes inflammation in the arteries of the heart and damages the heart. (ANI)