Environmental Science

1. - Karan Rathod
B.pharma. 2nd year
Guided by- Dr. Jigisha Pancholi
H.O.D Microbiology
I.I.A.P.S. College ,Jamnagar.

2.  The air quality in Delhi,
the capital territory of
India according to WHO
survey of air pollution
Delhi is the worst of any
major city in the world.
 In Delhi, poor quality air
irreversibly damages the
lung of 2.2million or 50%
of all children.

3.  India’s ministry of earth
sciences published a
research paper in
October 2019 attributing
almost 41% to vehicular
emissions, 21.5% to dust,
18% to industries and
19.5% to thermal power
station.
 Motor vehicle emissions
are one of the causes of
poor air quality, other
causes include wood
burning fires, fires on
agricultural land,
exhaust from diesel
generators, dust from
construction sites,
burning garbage and
industrial activities in
Delhi.

4.  The schools were closed
after pollution in India’s
capital soared, reaching
levels many times the
global safe limits.

5.  Air pollution in Delhi
spikes as deadly smog
envelops city.
 Low visibility has
resulted in accidents
across the city, notably a
24 vehicle pile-up on the
Yamuna express way.

6.  German’s chancellor Angela
Merkel advised our honorable
P.M. Narendra Modi about
changing the diesel buses with
the electric buses.

7.  The air pollution is measured in terms of AQI
(Air Quality Index).
 An AQI between 0-50 is considered as good. 51-100 is
considered as satisfactory. 101-200 is considered as
moderate. 201-300 is considered as poor. 301-400 is
considered as very poor. And 401-500 Severe.
 Above 500 falls in the severe plus emergency
category.
 The environment pollution (prevention and control)
authority declared a public health emergency in the
capital as pollution levels entered the severe plus
category.

8.  Measures announced under GRAP (Graded Response
Action Plan) sever+
1) Stop entry of trucks in Delhi (except essential
commodities).
2) Stop construction work.
3) Introduce odd/even scheme for private vehicles and
minimize exemptions.
4) Task force to decide any additional steps including
shutting off schools.

9.  Vehicles – grossly polluting vehicles like trucks and
diesel vehicles as well as growing numbers that
negates the impact of cleaner fuel and emission
technology.
 Combustion in power plants and industries using
dirty fuels, like pet coke, FO (and its variants), coal
and biomass.
 Garbage burning, both in landfills and other places
where there is no collection, processing or disposal.
 Dust management on roads, construction sites etc.
which adds to the particulate pollution.
 Crop residue burning (stubble burning) because
farmers do not have alternatives for use of straw.

10.  Stubble burning is
intentionally setting fire
to the straw stubble that
remains after grains like
paddy.
 This is mainly
responsible factor for
Delhi air Pollution.

11.  Stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana in northwest India
has been cited as a major cause of air pollution in Delhi.
 In late September and October each year, farmers mainly
in those two states burn an estimated 35 million tons of
crop waste from their paddy fields after harvesting.
 Smoke from this burning produces a cloud of particulates
visible from space,and has produced a 'toxic cloud' in New
Delhi, resulting in declarations of an air-pollution
emergency.
 reports, say that a day after Diwali, on October 28, farm
fires in Punjab peaked, with 3,105 instances reported
across the state.
 The effect of burning paddy crop residue and firecrackers,
mixed with low wind speeds in Delhi, resulted in the air
quality index (AQI) reaching 999 in some areas, the
maximum measurable level, around Diwali.

17.  The government of Delhi has declared a health
advisory.
 Breathlessness
 Chest construction
 Irritation in eye
 Asthma
 Allergy

18.  The Chief Minister of Delhi at that time, Arvind
Kejriwal, came out with the following proposed action
items to attempt to reduce the air pollution.
 All Delhi schools will remain shut for the next three
days.
 For the next five days, no construction and
demolition work will take place in Delhi.
 All diesel generator sets have been banned for the
next ten days, except at hospitals and in emergencies.
 The Delhi government will supply power to
unauthorized colonies which use diesel generators.

19. The coal-based Badarpur power plant will be shut
down for ten days. There will be no fly ash
transportation from the power plant.
 The Environment Department will launch an app to
monitor the burning of leaves.
 Vacuum cleaning of roads will start on 10 November.
Water sprinkling will start on all roads from the next
following days.
 People should stay at home as much as they can and
they should try working from home.