Easterly winds push away dust pollution, thunderstorm likely

The level of PM10 dropped to around 539ug/m3 at 7 pm on Saturday from 608ug/m3 around the same time on Friday. It had shot up to 840 on Wednesday.

A CPCB OFFICIAL

NEW DELHI: t even though it was still in the emergency zone with PM10 levels hovering five times above the safe standard. This was the fourth consecutive day dust levels remained in emergency zone.

Delhi has never encountered such levels of pollution and over such a long duration in summer or pre-monsoon months, since 2015. In November 2017, dust from west Asia and smoke from stubble burning in Haryana and Punjab had triggered a haze in Delhi.

Meteorologists said the present strong winds bringing dust from west Asia and Rajasthan have weakened. On Saturday evening, easterly winds started blowing over Delhi after a gap of five days. This could mean pollution levels are expected to come down further.

SAFAR, India’s official pollution forecasting centre, said pollution could drop to ‘very poor’ on Sunday.

“The level of PM10 dropped to around 539ug/m3 at 7 pm on Saturday from 608ug/m3 around the same time on Friday. It had shot up to 840 on Wednesday,” said a CPCB official.

Meanwhile, civic agencies continued their drives to control local dust pollution, which was adding to the problem.

The South Delhi Municipal Corporation stopped work at 57 sites and issued 85 NGT challans for keeping building material uncovered and 21 for burning waste. It deployed 40 vehicles and 42 tanks for sprinkling water and six mechanical sweepers.

The New Delhi Municipal council sprinked water at Mandir Marg, Parliament Street (near Gurudwara Rakab Ganj) and Sarojini Nagar among others.

The initiatives were taken after L-G Anil Baijal put a ban on construction activities and directed the government agencies and civic bodies to start water sprinkling. The 24-hour average Air Quality Index on Saturday was 369. It was 447 on Friday.

“Conditions are likely to improve further as we have started getting easterly winds. If the easterly winds get stronger and blow for a long duration, the clean-up process would be better,” said RK Jenamani, who heads the India Meteorological Department’s unit at Indira Gandhi International airport.