Particulate matters violate standards in Delhi: TERI

NEW DELHI: As the second phase of 'odd-even' scheme came into force today, a green body said particulate matters, responsible for respiratory diseases, again violated the standards at most places in Delhi.

The Energy and Resources Institute ( TERI), which did an analysis of air quality for April 14, said the wind blowing from north-west direction was carrying the pollutants towards the national capital.

"PM10 (particles with diameter less than 10 micrometer) and PM 2.5 (particles with diameter less than 2.5 micrometer) concentrations violated the standards at most places in Delhi and NCR. The concentrations are 1-2.3 times above the standard of PM 2.5. These pollutants are responsible for respiratory and cardiovascular diseases," a TERI statement said while sharing the analysis of April 14.

TERI while giving out the analysis of April 13 had yesterday said that Delhiites were breathing "better quality air" as particulate matters which cause respiratory diseases were under prescribed limits.

While releasing the analysis for April 14, the green body said last week, the pollutant concentrations came down due to higher wind speeds and enhanced vertical thermal diffusion leading to better dispersion of pollutants but currently the concentrations were again violating the standards at most places in Delhi and NCR.

"Delhi's air quality is also being affected significantly by sources upwind (in north-west directions). Wind is predominantly blowing from north-west direction and carries pollutants towards the city of Delhi.

"For the same reason, the downwind towns in NCR like Gurgaon, Ghaziabad, and NOIDA show pollutant levels even higher than Delhi, with contributions from Delhi's emissions," it said.

Given the current pollution levels in the city and the government's odd-even scheme, TERI is carrying out a trend analysis of the three main pollutants PM 10, PM 2.5 and NO2 at nine locations - Mandir Marg, R.K. Puram, Punjabi Bagh, Anand Vihar, Bahadurgarh, Lodhi Road, Ghaziabad, Gurgaon and Noida.

The objective is to analyse the effect of 'odd-even' scheme on air pollutant concentrations in different parts of the city. The exercise will continue till April 30 to assess pre and post air quality scenarios, it said.