Health Emergency in Delhi as It Faces Its Worst Smog in 17 Years

A smoggy day in Delhi. (Photo: Reuters)

The national capital is facing the worst smog in 17 years, a green body said on Thursday while asking the Delhi government to issue health alerts and convey that children should stay indoors as there is a state of health emergency due to peaking air pollution.

As visibility remained poor and the city choked due to a haze, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) asked the Delhi government to roll out stringent plans for controlling winter pollution from all sources of pollutants and issue daily health advisory to the people.

“This demands emergency response to protect the vulnerable – those who are suffering from respiratory and heart diseases and children.”

The government should aggressively inform all and advise them to stay indoors and avoid outdoor exercises. At the same time, it should roll out stringent winter pollution control for all sources along with emergency action.

Anumita Roychowdhury, CSE Team Head

CSE said that according to the Indian Meteorological Department, this is the worst smog with very poor visibility in 17 years and the Indira Gandhi International Airport recorded the worst levels of smog in 17 years on 2 November, with visibility as low as 300-400 metres.

Smog covers Delhi with pollutants reaching dangerous levels. (Photo: PTI)

It said the analysis of data from the Delhi Pollution Control Committee shows that the levels of PM 2.5 have increased by 62.7 per cent on 2 November as compared to that on Diwali (October 30) and the levels were 9.4 times the standard on 2 November.

According to air quality monitoring network SAFAR, PM2.5 levels are in severe category and are expected to remain in this category for more than three days, it said.

Delhi needs strong action to protect people from such deadly exposure. It needs an effective winter pollution mitigation plan that can make a difference. Without strong action smog is only expected to get worse this winter at serious public health costs.

The CSE said satellite images of NASA's fire mapper have showed that incidences of paddy burning in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh have increased after Diwali.

The images clearly revealed that after 30 October, crop burning in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh became more aggressive which would have contributed to the severe smog in the national capital, it said.

Noting that India has already adopted a system of issuing health advisories, along with its air quality index, the CSE said it was not being utilised to issue alerts to people.

Air pollution in several parts of Delhi is at a critically high level. (Photo: Reuters)

It implies that not only those who are ailing are extremely vulnerable at the current level of pollution, but also the general public who can develop a host of symptoms, it said.

It said that health advisory needs to inform people to keep children and those suffering from heart and respiratory ailments and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) indoors and avoid outdoor exercises.

“Joint studies of Central Pollution Control Board and Chittaranjan National Cancer Research Institute in Kolkata have shown that every third child in Delhi has impaired lungs,” the green body said.

It also said that there is a need for pollution emergency plan to cut peak pollution levels and asked the government announce a slew of emergency actions.

Vehicular smoke and dust particles create a blanket of toxic smog in Delhi. (Photo: AP)

"It needs measures to reduce vehicle numbers, shut down the Badarpur power plant and take very stringent action on waste burning, construction activities, and ban on fireworks in all social events during winter. Roll out short-to-medium term action for enduring change," it said.

Noting that this year has been a lost opportunity with regard to short-to-medium term measures, the CSE said that apart from restrictions on truck entry, no other action has been initiated, especially on public transport, walking and cycling, parking restraints and other measures related to other pollution sources.

"This cannot be delayed any further. A time-bound action plan will have to be rolled out immediately," it said.

It also stressed the need for inter-state cooperation and intervention of the central government to control farm fires in Punjab and Haryana.