NEW DELHI: Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has countered claims that PM 2.5 (fine, respirable particles) pollution in Delhi is higher than in Beijing. Data shared by DPCC for January 2012, 2013 and 2014, suggests the average PM 2.5 levels this year didn't exceed 300 micrograms per cubic metre, unlike some media reports claiming it exceeded 500.
However, average PM 2.5 levels in Delhi were at least 3 to 5 times the standard. Such high levels, according to health advisories issued in Beijing, are "very unhealthy." Strangely, despite such levels, Delhi government neither issues daily health advisories nor has it developed a health quality index. Delhi also doesn't use a health advisory developed by System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR).
The US Embassy in China has hourly twitter updates on PM 2.5 levels and its corresponding health warnings. Another private organization, in collaboration with the US embassy in China and the ministry of environmental protection in China, also publishes real-time data.
Delhi government has been dragging its feet on a health advisory for over a year now. "We are not sure when it will start," said Sandeep Mishra, member secretary, DPCC. Dr T K Joshi, director (projects) at Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, who is one of the authors of Delhi's health advisory says, "The elderly, those suffering from cardio-vascular diseases, diabetes, hypertension and respiratory illnesses, children and pregnant women are most likely to suffer due to such high levels".
Delhi is yet to release its Second Generation Action Plan which will suggest actions to counter the post-CNG air pollution crisis.
Centre for Science and Environment has done a rapid assessment of air pollution levels in Beijing and Delhi. According to them, PM 10 levels (coarse particles) in Delhi are nearly double that in Beijing. In case of PM 2.5 levels, continuous daily average in India from November 2013 to January 2014 shows average levels have been about 240 microgram per cubic metre, which is about four times higher than the Indian standard. During this period, the peak level was as high as 575 microgram per cubic metre in Delhi, but did not cross 400 microgram per cubic metre in Beijing.
CSE's analysis quoted a study by JNU which earlier reported a decline in the level of toxins like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) following the introduction of CNG, but now states levels have gone up again, due to more vehicles. They claim 39,780 cancer cases might occur due to lifetime inhalation and exposure to PAH concentrations.
