Despite a marginal improvement compared to 2021, Delhi's air quality following the Dussehra festival remained a cause for concern, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 243 recorded on October 25. Meanwhile, Mumbai grapples with declining air quality due to unregulated construction activities and the pressing issue of garbage burning.
The air quality in Delhi on the day after Dussehra, although worse than the previous year, showed an improvement from the same period in 2021. The AQI was recorded at 220 on October 24, with a slight deterioration to 243 on October 25. Experts attributed this fluctuation to the festival's timing in late October, which can often trap pollutants due to specific meteorological conditions.
Despite a ban on firecrackers, some areas witnessed unauthorized celebrations. Fortunately, the air quality didn't plunge into the 'very poor' category, as improved wind speed on Wednesday aided in dispersing pollutants. The Delhi Pollution Control Committee had enforced a complete firecracker ban, including green crackers, from October 1 to January 1, 2024.
Also read: Air quality in Delhi poor, no major relief predicted
The city's average PM2.5 concentration stood at 101 micrograms per cubic meter on October 24, rising to 144 micrograms per cubic meter on Wednesday. Both figures exceed air quality standards. The national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) for PM2.5 is 60 micrograms per cubic meter, while the WHO's safe limit is 15 micrograms per cubic meter. On Dussehra 2022, Delhi recorded an AQI of 211, classified as 'poor' by the Central Pollution Control Board.
In the meantime, unregulated construction activities are contributing to worsening air quality in Mumbai. The city also faces the problem of garbage burning, one of the top five sources of air pollution. Both these issues were highlighted in a recent report by The Indian Express.
Also read: A Delhi-Mumbai story: Which city's air quality is worse?
In response, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) issued new guidelines and deployed enforcement squads at the ward level to ensure adherence to construction site regulations and reduce air pollution. The BMC enacted a blanket ban on open garbage burning within its jurisdiction and tasked ward officers with forming squads to oversee enforcement and prevent illegal debris dumping from construction and demolition sites during late hours.
Larger wards will have six squads each, while middle-sized and small wards will have four and two squads, respectively. These measures are aimed at immediately addressing the rising air pollution in Mumbai.
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