Forest fires spiked air pollution level from Apr 22 in Delhi

The second phase of the odd-even car rationing scheme helped "reduce" the air pollution during the initial few days but farm and forest fires played spoilsport and it registered a "sudden spike" from April 22 onwards, a green body claimed today.
An analysis of the scheme by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) showed that air pollution dropped during the first few days but suddenly increased from April 22.
"Analysis of NASA satellite pictures has exposed massive crop fires in Punjab and Haryana that started around April 19, which could be the reason behind the rise in pollution levels," the body said.

It said the benefit of the scheme was "misinterpreted" due to crop fires that led to a sudden spike in pollution around a week after its start.
"Our investigation has exposed that irresponsible explanation of the air quality trend has led to misinterpretation of the benefit of the odd-even scheme and helped create the industry myth that vehicles are not the problem.
"They have missed the massive crop fires that started around April 20 and got intense over time and elevated pollution not only in Delhi, but in other cities of northern India as well," CSE said.

It said that PM2.5 levels declined substantially compared to the previous fortnight between April 15 and April 23.

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CSE said that all personal and passenger vehicles coming from outside contribute as much as 22 per cent of the total particulate load from these modes, within and from outside the city.
Among the incoming segments, cars are the biggest contributor to particulate load at 43 per cent, followed by SUVs at 23 per cent. Cars and SUVs together contribute 66 per cent of the particulate load from all incoming traffic while the two together also contribute 46 per cent of the nitrogen oxide load.
CSE said that cars and SUVs coming to Delhi are also the biggest fuel guzzlers and the highest emitters of eat-trapping carbon dioxide.

"The incoming cars have the highest per capita CO2 emissions - 3,031 gram/km (gm/km), followed by SUVs at 1,919 gm/km and two-wheelers at 988 gm/km. "The incoming bus passengers have the smallest carbon footprint of 539 gm/km.
CSE also questioned as to how will Delhi-NCR contribute towards India's INDC commitment of reducing energy intensity by 35 per cent by 2030 with this trend.
"While so much effort is being made to bypass polluting trucks, both state and central governments are turning the city roads into highways and elevated high speed corridors for personal vehicles from the region.
This is undercutting Delhi's effort to control emissions and exposures in all sectors. These incoming vehicles contribute close to a quarter of the total particulate load from personal and passenger vehicles in the city," Roychowdhury said.

The green body also said that the incoming NCR traffic is undercutting the air quality and health benefits from local measures to reduce toxic air pollution, especially diesel pollution.
It said that the total number of diesel cars, taxis and SUVs that enter Delhi from NCR are 2.5 times the total registration of diesel segments in Delhi during 2014-15 and already, diesel related pollution is increasing in Delhi.
Particulate matter, nitrogen oxides and ozone are high and increasing in Delhi's air. On about 56 per cent of the days during April and May this year, the ozone levels have exceeded the safe standards.

Roychowdhury said that in this pollution and congestion battle, Delhi is running only to stand still and both Centre and state government will have to recognise the implications of building road infrastructure that gives priority to personal vehicles.
It also recommended prioritise scaling up of affordable, comfortable and reliable public transport services, immediate notification of Euro VI emissions standards, discouraging diesel vehicles among others.