Experts urge implementation of NCAP, as air quality level improves in Capital

NEW DELHI: Delhi and surrounding areas on Sunday saw a respite from both dust pollution and heat, with air quality improving from severe due to changing wind directions, and maximum temperature falling to 36.8 degrees, three notches below average.

Monday will also see similar weather. Experts have urged has urged the Environment Ministry to speed up rolling out its National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), which proposes multiple strategies to combat air pollution.

The maximum temperature on Monday is likely to hover around 38 degrees, an IMD official said.

"There were chances of rains in Delhi... however the winds at the speed of 25 to 30 kmph from northwest helped in bringing the mercury down and cleaning up the air," an India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

While the coarser particles PM10 or particle in the air with the diameter less than 10mm, still the major pollutant, the change in the direction of the wind from earlier dust-raising westerlies to north-westerlies improved the air quality.

"The air quality will further improve towards Monday," an IMD official said. The Air Quality Index (AQI) on Sunday was 289 or poor on a scale of 0 to 500, for Delhi against 369 or very poor on Saturday.

The AQI for Ghaziabad improved from 460 or "severe" on Saturday to 320 or very poor on Sunday. In Noida, the AQI was 355 or "very poor" against 452 or severe on Saturday.

Meanwhile, experts said that said air pollution is a "silent and invisible killer" and a national health emergency, asserting that big polluters must be held accountable for the menace.

Air pollution in Delhi remained "severe" for the fifth day on Saturday, but authorities expressed hope that the air quality would improve after pollutants begin to disperse.

"Air pollution is prevalent all year round and throughout the country and not just limited to Delhi. The environment ministry must speed up its pace on rolling out the National Clean Air Programme," Sunil Dahiya of Greenpeace India said.

"Air pollution is a national public health emergency and the big polluters must be held accountable for the menace," he said.

The Union Environment Ministry has prepared the draft NCAP with an overall objective of a comprehensive management plan for control and abatement of air pollution, and augment the air quality monitoring network across the country. Various green groups have submitted their recommendations to the ministry on the draft.