Smog-covered festivities for Delhi-NCR as stubble burning, Diwali coincide

Ongoing construction across NCR to exacerbate situation; While the number of residue-burning cases reported so far is about half of last year's figure, it is likely to shoot up in the days ahead

The winter smog season cannot be more ill-timed for the national capital region (NCR) with firecrackers and stubble burning picking pace together by the end of this month. This, coupled with ongoing construction across the NCR, is likely to give breathless days to the residents in the coming months.

While the number of residue-burning cases reported so far is about half of last year's figure, it is likely to shoot up in the coming days. Ground reports show that the fall in the number of residue burning is not due to farmers behavioural change but delayed withdrawal of southwest monsoon.

The rains have increased the moisture content in standing paddy crops that is forcing farmers to dry them to permissible levels before selling. This may lead to bunching up of harvest and residue burning once the weather clears in the coming two weeks.

According to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), the share of stubble burning in pollutants in Delhi’s air was 3 per cent on Monday.  

According to the Indian Agricultural Research Institute’s real-time monitoring of paddy residue burning events, 2,339 fire counts were recorded in five paddy growing states — Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi — from September 15 to October 17, as against 4,146 cases recorded during the same period last year.

Farmers in Punjab, who contribute close to 70 per cent of all farm fires, say that the incidents will increase because the state government is not giving incentives to farmers.

“The stubble burning will increase because the state government is not purchasing residue or giving compensation to farmers,” says Sukhdev Singh Kokri Kalan, Punjab General secretary of Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan).

Festival of smog

Peak stubble burning will also coincide with Diwali, when rampant firecracker burning is feared to happen, after two years of subdued festivity because of the pandemic.

In 2017, the Supreme Court banned sale of firecrackers in NCR, but that hasn’t deterred sale and purchase of firecrackers. Though the popular markets/shops in Delhi are not selling crackers in open, they are available in off road and black markets. “The demand is still high in Delhi and NCR. Crackers are coming from Uttar Pradesh and Punjab,” said a firecracker supplier.

Construction or pollution

Under GRAP, authorities stop construction of projects with plot size equal to or more than 500 square metres and have not registered with the state authorities. The CAQM revised GRAP ‘stage I’ came into effect from October 5 when the air quality reached ‘poor’ category.

However, government projects like the metro, railways and fly overs are not halted under the ‘stage I’.

According to an environment ministry reply in Lok Sabha in November 2021 industries dust (soil, road and construction) contributed 25 per cent and 17 per cent to PM10 and PM2.5 respectively.

This year so far the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has issued directions for the closure of 491 construction and demolition sites, including 110 in Delhi, for flouting air pollution control norms.

The real estate industry rues the fact that lack of forward planning in place of knee jerk reactions is needed.

"There are currently as many as 568,000 housing units under various stages of construction in Delhi-NCR. Periodic construction bans by the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the government, or the apex court in response to poor air quality have serious consequences,” said Prashant Thakur, senior director, and head – research, Anarock Group.

The delay to the ongoing projects will directly impact homebuyers. On an average, a one-month ban on all construction activities delays a project by at least three-four months, industry executives said.

More announcements, less implementation

Experts claim despite the right set of policies in place, lack of implementation is the major cause for increase in pollution in Delhi.

CAQM has constituted 40 flying squads—12 each for the NCR districts of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and National Capital Territory of Delhi, and 4 for the NCR districts of Rajasthan to monitor and fine the pollution offenders.

But experts opine, these preventive measures need to be taken throughout the year by various stakeholders.

Ravi Choudhary, an environmentalist and Founder of Prayas Youth Foundation said, a ban is not the solution but formation and enforcement of standard operating procedure is.

“If there is enforcement of SOPs then there is no need for a ban, which hardly helps because despite the ban, dust particles still persist,” he added.

According to the latest Air Quality and Weather Bulletin for Delhi NCR, the overall air quality over Delhi is likely to remain in the Poor category on Tuesday. The air quality is likely to improve marginally but remain in the Poor category on Wednesday and Thursday. The outlook for subsequent six days is likely to remain largely in the Poor category.