Be it Lahore of Pakistan or the capital of India, Delhi. Currently, the poison is entering the lungs of both cities. The winds have become deadly. Breathing becomes suffocating. The AQI in Lahore is 1537, while in Jahangirpuri, Delhi, this figure is 606. The AQI was recorded in severe category in 14 stations of Delhi in 24 hours.
Lahore has been declared the most polluted city in the world. Lahore and its surrounding areas are currently facing pollution due to dust, emissions and smoke. According to Reuters news agency, the reason for this is stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana in India. Whose impact occurs in both Lahore and Delhi.
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If these two states are spreading pollution by burning stubble, then the climate is helping to spread it. Where there is humidity at the moment. The wind speed is slow. There is a drop in temperature. This seasonal change is slowly spreading dust and smoke. Visibility is becoming nil. A warning has also been issued to companies providing air services at the Delhi airport. So that they are prepared to divert their flights for visibility reasons.
Politics plays against pollution
The Supreme Court had said in a decision last month that clean air is a fundamental right of every human being. The central and state governments should take immediate action in this regard. But the parties are rolling the political dice in this pollution backgammon. They blame each other for spreading pollution. There is a war between the Center and the states. Leaders at both the Center and the State do not want to anger the powerful farmers and their groups.
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Pollution 50 times higher than the WHO limit
Currently, pollution in Delhi exceeds 50 times the limit set by the World Health Organization. Let’s leave aside the talk about Lahore. The situation there has become hellish. Not everyone can install air filters in their homes. Every year, from mid-October to January, falling temperatures and slow winds trap pollution.
Three mountains are also responsible for pollution
More than 3 million people living in Delhi felt shortness of breath on Wednesday morning. The contamination level was 806 micrograms per cubic meter. This means PM 2.5 is 53 times more than the prescribed limit. Apart from this, the three mountains of garbage present in Delhi are also one of the main reasons for pollution. The poisonous gases they emit also make the air of Delhi-NCR deadly.
Also read: ‘Don’t become the most polluted city in the world,’ Amicus Curiae said in SC on the issue of Delhi pollution.
Be it Delhi or Lahore… these are the five reasons for pollution
1. Burning stubble…beginning to turn into poison.
Every year, as soon as cold weather sets in in Punjab and Haryana, the remaining parts of the previous crops are burnt. This is called stubble burning. This time the monsoon has been delayed, so the cleaning of the previous harvest and the preparation for the next one has also started late. Therefore, the issue of stubble burning in fields also started late in these states. This means it will last a long time.
2. Wind direction… the task of distributing poison
Wind also contributes greatly to poisoning Delhi’s air. That means wind direction. Wind direction, speed and humidity, these three factors poison the lungs of Delhi-NCR. After monsoon and before winter, the wind blows from Haryana-Punjab towards Delhi. This wind comes from Pakistan. In which the amount of dust particles is greater.
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Along with this air comes the poisonous smoke that emanates from the burning of stubble. Because there is moisture in the air just after the monsoon comes out. It’s heavy, the smog is everywhere. The situation can improve if the wind direction changes.
3. The change in temperature… works to increase the poison
Pollution also increases due to frequent temperature changes in Delhi winter. This is called temperature inversion. Due to this, a layer of warm air forms on top of the cold air. So all contaminating elements remain only on the surface. The reason for the change in temperature could be pollution caused by vehicles, industry, stubble burning… anything.
4. Pollution caused by vehicles… the icing on the cake
The population of Delhi is more in line with the area of the city. In addition, the number of vehicles is also very high. 25 per cent of PM2.5 emissions in Delhi are caused by vehicle pollution. The atmosphere also changes due to gases and chemicals released by the industries built in and around Delhi. Pollution increases.
5. Other sources of pollution… that increase the problem
Sand particles with dry air from dry areas. Chemicals and emissions from firecrackers and burning of domestic biomass during Diwali also increase pollution in winter. According to a study by IIT Kanpur, 17 to 26 per cent of particulate matter emissions in Delhi-NCR are caused by biomass burning.
