Air quality relatively better than last year

NEW DELHI: Delhi Environment minister Imran Hussain on Wednesday convened a meeting with officers of his Department and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) to review the status of air quality Delhi, particularly in view of the upcoming festival season, FIFA U-17 World Cup and the onset of winter.

Officers told Hussain that the Ambient Air Quality this year has been better than what it was last year during the same period, especially with respect to particulate matter.

The minister was also informed that work for strengthening of the Ambient Air Quality Network is at an advanced stage and that new systems will be functional by the end of October at 20 more locations in Delhi.

Officers informed that with operationalisation of these new stations, the Delhi government will be in a position to implement orders of the Supreme Court on Graded Response Action Plan more effectively.

Hussain also reviewed action taken for implementation of dust control measures.

The Environment department said that DPCC teams, as well as officers from land owning agencies and local bodies, are regularly taking action against violators of dust control norms, especially at construction sites.

Hussain stressed upon the need for taking all possible measures to check burning of garbage, plastic etc waste in Delhi, including at landfill sites. The department assured that a special drive will be initiated to check the same. Hussain directed that a strategy be worked out immediately to implement the SC's order with reference to use of firecrackers.

This year, the volume of particulate PM 2.5 and PM 10, which are ultrafine particulates, have ranged between 200-100 and 300-200 micrograms per cubic metre (ug/m3), according to official data. The corresponding safe standards are 60 and 100.

In 2016, the average volume of these particulates were 500-200 and 300-100 between January and September.