The Hindu India is the third largest polluted country in the world and its rapidly growing vehicle number is one of the known culprits of air pollution.
Air pollution level four times higher than the permissible limit
Chief Justice of India H.L. Dattu on Friday got a first-hand report of just how poor Delhi’s air quality is — his court room reported air pollution level that was four times higher than the permissible limit.
The air quality inside the Chief Justice’s court was determined using a handy air quality-measuring instrument by former Solicitor General Harish Salve. It was found that the particulate matter (PM) 2.5 – the worst among air pollutants, which gets embedded deep inside the lungs – was at 250 micro gram per cubic meter as against the permissible 60 micro gram per cubic metre.
“The Supreme Court is located in Central Delhi, which is one of the greenest parts of the city, and even here the pollution level was found to be so high. This only highlights the vulnerability of the 17 million population of Delhi, who is in the midst of a major health emergency. Senior advocate Mr. Salve was appearing as amicus curiae in a PIL on maintaining air quality in Delhi and the instrument and manpower was provided by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE),’’ said CSE, associate director research and advocacy Anumita Roychoudhary.
She added that air pollutions level across the Capital, including PM 2.5, PM 10 and nitrogen oxide were recorded four times the permissible limit. “Since October the PM 2.5 levels have remained significantly elevated and during smog episodes the levels have gone as high as three to four times the standards,’’ she added.
While the World Health Organisation had earlier warned about Delhi’s air quality being very poor, health experts in the city has warned that PM 2.5 is an extremely fine particle (of less than 2.5 micro metre in diameter) that is linked with increased rates of chronic bronchitis, lung cancer and heart disease as they penetrate deep into the lungs and can pass into the bloodstream.
“It is an undisputed fact that air pollution in Delhi is getting worse with each passing day,” said Ms. Roychoudhary. Doctors in the city, too, admit that air pollution has become a ‘health hazard’ and advised early morning walkers, children and those with health woes to be cautious.
Delhi Medical Council member Dr. Anil Bansal said: “Breathing-related health issues, health woes among asthma, heart and blood pressure patients and infections are on the rise. The cool weather conditions and lack of wind have caused a spike in air pollution leaving the city gasping for clean fresh air.’’
India is the third largest polluted country in the world and its rapidly growing vehicle number is one of the known culprits of air pollution.
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