Greta Jimenez
Delhi's air pollution has been a cause for concern for years, with the city regularly ranked as one of the most polluted in the world. The air quality in Delhi has deteriorated to hazardous levels, with high levels of PM2.5 and PM10 particulate matter, as well as nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and ozone. The pollution is caused by a range of factors, including agricultural stubble burning, vehicle emissions, industrial activities, and construction. The Delhi government and authorities have implemented various measures to combat pollution, such as banning non-essential construction, restricting vehicles, and deploying water-spraying drones. Despite these efforts, the city continues to face severe air pollution, with residents advised to limit outdoor activities and take health precautions.
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What You'll Learn
- Delhi's air quality is hazardous to health, especially for vulnerable groups
- Stubble burning, vehicle emissions, and industrial activities are major contributors to Delhi's pollution
- The government has been criticised for its inadequate response to Delhi's air pollution crisis
- Schools and offices have closed, and construction has been halted during periods of severe pollution
- Efforts to improve air quality include smog towers, app-based complaint management, and farming incentives
Delhi's air quality is hazardous to health, especially for vulnerable groups
The poor air quality in Delhi has been attributed to various factors, including agricultural stubble burning, motor vehicle emissions, wood-burning fires, cow dung combustion, fires on agricultural land, exhaust from diesel generators, dust from construction sites, burning garbage, and illegal industrial activities. The wind blows the smoke from fires on agricultural lands in Punjab and Haryana over to Delhi, where meteorological conditions cause it to linger. Stubble burning has been a significant contributor to Delhi's pollution, accounting for up to 50% in previous years, although this has decreased to about 30% more recently.
The hazardous air quality in Delhi has led to the implementation of various anti-pollution measures, including the banning of non-essential construction and the restriction of buses, trucks, and highly polluting vehicles. Schools have shifted to remote learning, and the Supreme Court has advised wearing masks within its premises. The Delhi government has also installed smog towers to clean the air and implemented the Pusa Bio-Decomposer to reduce stubble burning. Despite these efforts, the air pollution in Delhi continues to pose a serious risk to human health, with one study suggesting that the approximately 30 million people living in and around the city could lose almost 12 years from their lives due to its harmful effects.
Delhi's air quality is particularly severe during the winter months, usually from November to February, due to the combination of crop burning and meteorological conditions. During this period, the air in Delhi becomes thick and brown with visible pollutants, reducing visibility and creating a public health emergency. The severity and persistence of Delhi's air pollution highlight the urgent need for effective solutions and stronger government action to protect the health and well-being of its residents, especially those in vulnerable groups.
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Stubble burning, vehicle emissions, and industrial activities are major contributors to Delhi's pollution
Delhi's air pollution has reached severe levels, causing concern about the health risks associated with it. Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has criticised the government over the issue, stating that Delhi is "nearly uninhabitable" and that the government has failed to take adequate action.
Stubble burning, vehicle emissions, and industrial activities are indeed major contributors to Delhi's pollution. While stubble burning has been blamed for the high levels of air pollution in the city, the Supreme Court has stated that it accounts for only about 4-7% of Delhi's air pollution. Instead, industrial activities, power generation, vehicular traffic, and construction are the primary contributors to the deteriorating air quality.
Vehicle emissions are the biggest contributor to particulate pollution in Delhi, with their real-time share increasing to over 50% in early winter, according to a report by the Centre for Science and Environment. Motor vehicle emissions, including NOx and CO emissions, are a significant cause of poor air quality, with vehicles contributing 36% of NOx emissions and 83% of CO emissions. The large number of vehicles on the road, approximately 1.3 crore, exacerbates the problem.
Industrial activities also play a major role in Delhi's pollution. Of the SO2 emissions, 90% came from industrial point sources, and industrial emissions accounted for 18% of air pollution during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, according to India's Ministry of Earth Sciences. In addition, the drift/mist emissions from the wet cooling towers used in industries and other sectors contribute to particulate matter pollution.
Stubble burning in Haryana and Punjab, along with north-westerly winds, has affected Delhi's air quality since the 1980s, particularly during the crop-burning season, which can account for up to 45% of the city's pollution, according to government meteorologists.
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The government has been criticised for its inadequate response to Delhi's air pollution crisis
Delhi's air pollution has been a longstanding issue, with the city consistently ranked among the most polluted areas globally. The government has faced criticism, including from Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, for its inadequate response to the air pollution crisis. Tharoor highlighted the government's inaction despite the severity of the situation, with Delhi's air quality deteriorating to hazardous levels, particularly from November to February.
One of the main criticisms of the government's response is its failure to address the root causes of pollution. While agricultural stubble burning, vehicle emissions, industrial activities, and construction fumes significantly contribute to Delhi's air pollution, the government has not implemented effective measures to mitigate these sources. For example, the government banned traditional firecrackers during Diwali in 2017, but the rule was not adequately enforced, and the widespread use of firecrackers continues to be a concern.
The Delhi government has proposed various measures to reduce air pollution, but many have not been successfully implemented. For instance, in 2016, the Chief Minister of Delhi suggested several steps, including shutting schools, halting construction and demolition work, banning diesel generator sets, and closing the Badarpur power plant. However, these measures did not yield significant results due to a lack of real-world efficacy and proper enforcement.
Another point of criticism is the government's delay in approving emergency plans proposed by the Delhi Environment Minister, Gopal Rai, to address the toxic smog. Rai has advocated for stimulating artificial rain to clear the smog, a technique that has been used in other countries like China. While scientists have expressed scepticism about the potential environmental impacts and the experimental nature of cloud seeding, the government's inaction on this front has been questioned.
To combat pollution, the government has implemented certain initiatives, such as the Commission for Air Quality Management to enforce pollution control and the "Green Delhi" app to manage complaints and regulate dust. Additionally, the government is considering a 1,600 km long green ecological corridor with the planting of 1.35 billion new native trees over ten years. However, critics argue that these steps do not adequately address the magnitude of the air pollution crisis in Delhi, and more urgent and comprehensive action is needed.
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Schools and offices have closed, and construction has been halted during periods of severe pollution
Delhi's air pollution has been described as "barely livable" by Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, who criticized the government over the issue, calling it "unconscionable". Delhi's air is twice as bad as Beijing's, and in November 2017, experts measured an air quality index of 999, which is equivalent to smoking 45 to 50 cigarettes a day.
During periods of severe pollution, schools and colleges in Delhi and nearby cities have been closed until further notice, with students shifting to online classes. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) also advised NCR state governments to allow at least 50% of staff to work from home. In 2021, the Delhi government announced it would be shutting all schools and government offices for a week due to severe air pollution.
In response to the severe air pollution, Delhi has enforced tighter rules, including halting all non-essential construction and demolition work. Construction has been banned in areas with an AQI above 400 for a week, with instructions given to closely monitor the hotspots. The ban on construction work does not apply to projects needed for national security, healthcare, and certain public infrastructure work.
The air pollution in Delhi is caused by a range of factors, including agricultural stubble burning, motor vehicle emissions, wood-burning fires, cow dung combustion, fires on agricultural land, and dust from construction sites. The air quality typically worsens from November to February, but Delhi's air misses clean-air standards for much of the year. The severe pollution has significant health impacts, particularly for vulnerable populations, and can lead to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
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Efforts to improve air quality include smog towers, app-based complaint management, and farming incentives
Delhi's air pollution has been described as "killing us", with the city regularly ranked as the world's most polluted. The air quality index (AQI) in Delhi has reached as high as 1,700 in some parts of the city, far exceeding the maximum index of 50 deemed healthy by the World Health Organization. This hazardous air quality has led to schools shifting online and the Supreme Court advising the wearing of masks within its premises.
To improve air quality, Delhi has introduced several measures, including the following:
Smog Towers
The installation of smog towers aims to capture and filter out pollutants from the air, helping to reduce smog and improve air quality.
App-based Complaint Management
The 'Swachh Delhi' app allows citizens to report instances of pollution, such as garbage burning, industrial pollution, and construction waste. Complaints are received through registered mobile numbers and forwarded to concerned agencies for immediate redressal.
Farming Incentives
While farmers' burning of crop stubble has been widely blamed for Delhi's smog, experts argue that they are only a small part of the problem. To address this issue, incentives and alternatives to stubble burning need to be provided to farmers. For example, providing financial support or equipment that helps with the quicker turnaround between harvesting rice crops and planting wheat.
Other Measures
Delhi also needs to tackle transport and heavy industry pollution. This includes enforcing regulations on big polluting industries, such as coal-fired power stations and steel plants, and improving public transportation to encourage residents to use private vehicles less.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Delhi's pollution is a year-round issue, with air quality missing clean-air standards by a wide margin for most of the year. However, pollution is at its worst from November to February.
Delhi's air pollution has multiple causes, including vehicle emissions, wood-burning fires, cow dung combustion, fires on agricultural land, diesel generator exhaust, construction site dust, burning garbage, and illegal industrial activities. The biggest cause of air pollution in Delhi is agricultural stubble burning in Haryana and Punjab.
Delhi has consistently ranked among the most polluted cities globally. In 2024, Delhi recorded an AQI of 491, the highest in the world for that year. Delhi's air quality is twice as bad as Beijing's, and in 2017, the city's AQI reached 999, equivalent to smoking 45-50 cigarettes per day.
Delhi's air pollution has severe health impacts, particularly on vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, and individuals with respiratory or heart conditions. A recent study estimated that the approximately 30 million people living in and around Delhi could lose up to 12 years of their lives due to the poor air quality.
The Delhi government has implemented various measures to combat air pollution, including banning non-essential construction, restricting vehicle entry, closing schools, restricting diesel generator use, and deploying drones to spray water into the air. Other initiatives include the Commission for Air Quality Management, the "Green Delhi" app, farming incentives, and the consideration of a massive tree-planting project.
