AIR POLLUTION PROBLEM IN DELHI CRITICAL

Air pollution is mainly caused by industry and not by vehicular traffic Contrary to common belief.Main contributors are road dust (50%) and industry (23%)--vehicles accounted for only 7%.

An air pollutant is a substance in the air that can have adverse effects on humans and the ecosystem. The substance can be solid particles, liquid droplets, or gases. A pollutant can be of natural origin or man-made.

The air pollution in India’s capital suddenly surged in November ' 16 , with a haze reducing visibility to 50 meters at times .It was worst in nearly 10 years, with the low visibility  due to smog, smoke and dust as per country’s meteorological department.The tiny particles suspended in the air which causes lungs disease, touched new height after  country celebrated Diwali with a riot of fireworks and firecrackers across the country.

Air laboratory at the Central Pollution Control Board informed that this is due to low wind speed.This year Mean wind speed dropped to 1.8 meters per second  compared with 3.4 meter per second around the same time last year, reducing the amount of pollutants that were dispersed.The problem was also aggravated by a reversal in normal direction of wind .Normally, the wind direction in Delhi is north westerly (west to east). But from October 28 till date, the north north easterly (east to west) component was prevailing, preventing pollutants from dispersing and allowing them to accumulate in the air

New Delhi is the 10th most polluted city in the world .The World Health Organization   recommends and asked for strict measures.Air pollution is a significant risk factor for a number of pollution related diseases  including respiratory infections, heart disease,  stroke and lung cancer. The health effects caused by air pollution may include difficulty in breathing, wheezing, coughing, asthama and worsening of existing respiratory and cardiac conditions. 

These effects can result in  premature death. The human health effects because of poor air quality are far reaching, but mainly affect the body's respiratory system and the cardiovascular system. The most common sources of air pollution include particulates, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, and sulphur dioxide. Children aged less than five years that live in developing countries are the most vulnerable .

No matter how adverse the meteorological conditions are, a high concentration of PM2.5 can not occur without multiple sources of emissions, as per Earth Sciences and Climate Change Division of the Delhi-based Energy and Research Institute who has been studying air pollution in India.

Burning of stubble in paddy fields in the bordering states of Punjab , Haryana , Uttar Pradesh  for next harvest also add to Delhi’s own air pollution woes: emissions from vehicles, industries using coal for power and dust from construction activities and movement of vehicles. The burning of trash, which contain plastic, rubber and metal items and gives off toxic emissions, also adds to Delhi air.

We have to be very particular and result oriented time bound action required to deal with this problem .Unless we control our pollution from combustion, crop burning, vehicular emissions and other devoured, this problem of pollution can’t be solved and shall play havoc with public health .