Delhi's air quality severe, CPCB slaps Rs 1 crore fine each on civic bodies

Delhi's air quality deteriorated further on Thursday to severe category due to reduced wind speed that prevented the dispersion of pollutants even as the CPCB slapped Rs 1 crore fine each on three civic bodies of Delhi.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board data, the overall air quality index (AQI) in the city was 443, which falls in the severe category.

The CPCB has asked Reliance Industries why a fine of Rs 1 crore should not be slapped on it and prosecution not initiated over non compliance of the National Green Tribunal order on installation of anti-pollution "vapour recovery" systems (VRS) at fuel stations.

The CPCB slapped Rs 1 crore fine each on three civic bodies of the city over open burning, dumping of waste, illegal running of plastic industries in non-conforming residential areas.

In three separate notices to the East Delhi Municipal Corporation, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation and the North Delhi Municipal Corporation, the CPCB said it was observed that open dumping of garbage contributes over 13 per cent and open garbage burning over 11 per cent in the air pollution incidents in the Delhi-NCR region.

Air samples taken from Delhi and Gurgaon in the last two months showed presence of alarming levels of toxic heavy metals, according to a report titled 'Death in Every Breath' released by NGO Lung Care Foundation.

It analysed results of seven samples taken from New Delhi and Gurgaon.

The air quality was 'severe' till Sunday but increased wind speed of 20 km/hr significantly improved it to the poor category on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, the air quality again deteriorated as the wind speed dropped and was recorded in the very poor category.

On Thursday, as many as 31 areas recorded 'severe' air quality and two 'very poor' air quality, the CPCB said.

In the National Capital Region, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Noida and Greater Noida recorded 'severe' air quality while Gurgaon recorded 'very poor' air quality, it said.

The overall PM2.5 level fine particulate matters in the air with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometers in Delhi was 345, while the PM10 level was 513, it said.

The Centre-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting (SAFAR) said air quality index over Delhi touched the "severe" category.

"Both the components of particulate matters viz. PM2.5 and PM10 touched severe level. In all probability, the AQI is expected to go up further within severe range until Friday," the SAFAR said.

Meanwhile, the CPCB also questioned Reliance Industries of why fines should fine not be slapped on it over non-compliance of the NGT order.

In a letter dated January 8, the CPCB said Reliance Industries informed it that installation of VRS stage II at retail outlets selling less than 300 KL/month has been completed but no compliance status was submitted with respect to installation of VRS IB at these stations.

Vapour recovery system 1B is used to control the vapour released during the offloading of fuel at distribution centres. Vapour recovery system Stage 2 is used to control the vapour while the fuel is transferred from holding tanks to vehicles.

"The above status indicates non-compliance of the NGT order and therefore, in view of above, a notice is hereby served to show cause as to why environment compensation of Rs 1 crore shall not be levied and prosecution not initiated against Reliance Industries for non-compliance of the order," CPCB chairperson S P S Parihar said in the notice.

In December, the CPCB had imposed fine on public sector oil firms -- Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited and Indian Oil Corporation Limited.

In three separate notices to the East Delhi Municipal Corporation, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation and the North Delhi Municipal Corporation, the CPCB said an environmental compensation of Rs 1 crore each has to be paid by the three bodies by January 31, failing which prosecution will be initiated in accordance with law.

The CPCB also slapped fines on the Delhi Cantonment Board and the New Delhi Municipal Corporation of Rs 1 lakh over dumping of waste openly.

The report released by NGO Lung Care Foundation said the PM2.5 levels in all the seven samples were above statutory limits.

"The PM2.5 levels ranged from 90.3 ug/m3 to 563.5 ug/m3 and were between 1.5 and 9.4 times higher than standards prescribed by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC)," the study said.

The levels of manganese in five of the seven samples exceed the US EPA Reference Concentration for exposure to manganese (0.05 ug/m3) and the WHO annual health-based guidelines value of 0.15 ug/m3.

"Levels of lead in six of the seven samples exceed the U.S. EPA 3 -month average for exposure to lead (0.15 ug/m3) and in two samples exceeds the Indian NAAQS Annual and WHO annual health-based guidelines value of 0.05 ug/m3," it said.

Nickel levels in all samples exceed the WHO annual health-based guidelines value of 0.0025 ug/m3, which is based on the risk of cancer associated with long-term exposure to nickel.