The city of Delhi is facing a crisis as the air pollution levels continue to rise, despite the drop in temperature. The city recorded its coldest night of the season with a temperature of 7.8 degrees Celsius, four notches below normal. Safdarjung, the city’s base station, recorded the lowest minimum temperature in November in the last two years. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasts that the temperature will remain low for the next few days due to cold north-westerly winds and clear skies.
The fall in temperature is due to the north-westerly winds from snow-capped mountains, which cause a quick dissipation of heat at night. However, the drop in temperature has not brought any relief to the city’s air pollution problem. Delhi’s air quality has reached the upper end of the ‘poor’ category with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 294. The System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR), the forecasting body under the Union ministry of earth sciences, said the share of stubble burning in Delhi’s PM2.5 was 4%.
According to the Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi, the overall air quality over Delhi is likely to deteriorate to the lower end of the ‘very poor’ category on Saturday, remain in the upper end of ‘poor’ category on Sunday, and be ‘very poor’ on Monday. The city’s air quality has been in a poor state for a long time now. The poor air quality is not only causing health issues to the residents but is also affecting the environment and the economy.
The Delhi government has been taking several measures to combat air pollution, such as the Odd-Even rule, which allows only even-numbered or odd-numbered vehicles on alternate days. The government has also started a tree plantation campaign, introduced electric buses, and is encouraging the use of public transport.
The problem of air pollution in Delhi is not only the responsibility of the government but also the responsibility of the citizens. Citizens can play their part by using public transport, carpooling, and avoiding the use of firecrackers during festivals. If we all work together, we can make Delhi a cleaner and healthier city to live in.