Delhi-NCR air pollution: Was the CAQM directive a better solution?

New Delhi, November 19, : .

Two days after emergency measures were initiated in accordance with the CAQM directives for checking air pollution in Delhi/NCR, an expert in analysing data on air pollution has reported that Delhis air quality has improved by 18-22 percentInstigated by the Supreme Courts directive, the Commission for Air Quality Management for Delhi Surrounding Areas and Delhi (CAQM) had ordered multiple actions to be taken both by the Centre as well as the states governments following a week ofvery bad and severe conditions.

At scores of locations, the Air Quality Index was over 400 and some places even exceeded 500 in NCR.It was decided on Tuesday night, and directives had been in effect since Wednesday morning.Among the emergency actions taken were: 50 percent work from home ban, trucks banged out of Delhi, construction ban with exemptions, and six shut down thermal power plants located within 300km radius.Sachin Ghude, Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology in Pune said that "The Commission for Air Quality Management (Delhi) and Adjoining Areas" managed to reduce Delhis air quality below the upper limit of the Vey Poor’ category.

IITM Pune offers Decision Support System (DSS), which helps in the prevention of air pollution/low air quality (AQEWS) in Delhi and NCR.IITM, a scientific agency of the Ministry of Earth Sciences is (MoES).According to IITM EWS, Delhis air quality could have risen to "severe" to the top of thesevere category today and yesterday without these measures.

CAQMs implementation of these measures helped improve Delhis air quality by 18-22 percent, Ghude (IITM Project Lead), Wifex/AQEWS stated.According to the IITM AQEWS, it predicted the future outlook over the next five days.

It stated: Due to strong winds, air quality will likely improve from November 21 and could reach a poor classification.The predominant pollutant would be PM2.5.These are the AQIs at different places in Delhi NCR between 12 midnight on Friday and 12 noon on Saturday: East Delhi: Anand Vihar (389, 401), Vivek Vihar (398, 409), IHBAS, Dilshad Garden (353, 348).North Delhi: Alipur (388, 394), Bawana (421), 406), Jahangirpuri (432-437), Narela (394–409).South Delhi: Sirifort (346, 346), CRRI Mathura Road (3365, 360), Okhla Phase II (377.372), Dr Karni S Shooting Range (338.349), CRRI Mathura Road (377.360), Okhla Phase II (377.372) and IGI Airport (331.331).Central Delhi: Chandni Chowk (366-359), ITO (356-3777) and Lodhi Road (252-290).West Delhi: Mundka (414, 414), Najafgarh (3333, 336) and Pusa (326, 329).Wazirpur (4404, 405).

Ghaziabad: Indirapuram (363, 369), Sanjay Nagar (351, 358) and Vasundhara (371, 369).Noida Sectors 125 (334, 334) Sector 62 (368.391) Sector 1 (360.360) Faridabad, New Industrial Town (344, 348) and Sector 30 (292.292).Gurugram: Gwal Phari (280-259) and Vikas Sadan (361-355) niv/sk #DelhiNCR #CAQM #directive #Delhi #Cricket #BCCI #ICC #IPL.