Local Pollutants Major Contributors to Delhi's Air Quality Decline

New Delhi: As stubble burning decreases, local pollutant remains primary source to deterioration of Delhi's air quality, reports said. accounting for 95% of PM2.5 levels, according to a latest analysis.

An analysis by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) reveals that Delhi's air quality has worsened from "poor" to "very poor." It highlights that local pollution sources, especially vehicle emissions, are mainly responsible this decline.

CSE's assessment before Diwali and winter indicates that stubble burning contribute only about 4.44% to Delhi's PM2.5 levels, while over 95% comes from local pollution sources.

Notably, transport sector is responsible for more than half of pollution, followed by residential burning (13%), industrial emissions (11%) and construction activities (7%), according to analysis.

"This year, air quality has worsened even though contribution of farm fires has remained significantly lower than previous years," said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director of research and vocacy at CSE.

" city can no longer deflect blame onto farm fires. We must urgently dress local pollution sources," she ded.

analysis, covering PM2.5 levels from September 15 to October 28, indicates a concerning trend -- PM2.5 levels reached 213 µg/m³ on October 23, coinciding with a temporary spike in farm-fire contributions.

However, overall increase in PM2.5 levels in October shows a 13-per cent rise compared to same period last year, with a record number of "very poor" air quality days.

CSE's study also identified a significant rise in traffic congestion across major ros in Delhi, exacerbating pollution levels.

average speed reduction during peak hours on weekdays was reported at 40.8 per event, leing to higher nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels. analysis revealed that congestion on weekend before Diwali resulted in particularly elevated NO2 levels, peaking at 75 µg/m³ in evening.

According to report, 11 days of "very poor" air quality were recorded in October -- an increase from previous years -- while "good" air quality days drastically dropped from 11 in 2022 to just two this year.

As Delhi faces this pressing environmental crisis, experts assert that significant and immediate action is required to combat local pollution.

"Effective measures must be implemented to tackle emissions from vehicles, industry and or local sources," Roychowdhury said.

(With inputs from PTI)