Emergency-like situation: SC on Delhi air quality
NEW DELHI: Light rainfall is likely in states surrounding Delhi and in Delhi over the next three days, and this could result in a change in wind pattern in the region. Smog will start to abate starting Tuesday
CHARAN SINGH, scientist, IMD
The level of pollution in New Delhi worsened on Monday as the Supreme Court observed that it was an emergency-like situation and asked the Centre as well as Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Delhi governments to respond on a petition on stubble burning and dust pollution that experts say contribute to the bad air quality.
A US embassy measure showed levels of poisonous airborne particles known as PM 2.5, had reached 498 on Monday afternoon, compared with the upper limit of “good” quality air at 50, and government officials struggled to tackle a public health crisis that is well into its second week.
The India Meteorological Department said rain was forecast over the next three days which could help clear the smog.
“Light rainfall is likely in states surrounding Delhi and in Delhi over the next three days, and this could result in a change in wind pattern in the region,” Charan Singh, a scientist at IMD, told Reuters. “Smog will start to abate starting tomorrow (Tuesday).”
But Skymet, India’s only private weather forecaster, said dense smog would continue over Delhi and the surrounding area for at least the next two days.
The Supreme Court is due to hear a petition filed by a New Delhi lawyer to direct government authorities to tackle the “intolerable and unbearable air pollution”.
The Delhi government declared a public health emergency last week after pollution levels spiked, a yearly phenomenon blamed on a combination of illegal crop burning in northern states, vehicle exhaust and dust.
A new pollution-fighting mechanism, the Graded Response Action Plan, is in place in the city. Several steps have been announced -- ban on construction activities, hike in parking fees and ban on diesel generator sets -- but ground reports show that the Delhi government and local civic bodies have been sluggish on implementation.