Delhi air pollution: 29 red alert days in November

New Delhi: Delhi's air quality was so poor in the month of November this year that according to China's pollution warning system, 29 days of the 30 would have been termed as 'red alert' days.

A red alert is issued in China if there are more than 350 micrograms of coarse particulate matter (PM10) in one cubic metre.

According to Greenpeace India's analysis of the National Air Quality Index, the period of September to November in Delhi had 33 such days, 29 of which were in November.

While the standard level of PM10 per cubic meter is 100 micrograms, the monitoring station at Anand Vihar recorded the level at 1,433 micrograms earlier in the week. That is a staggering 14 times more than the average level of particulates.

A red alert in China shuts down polluting industries and schools, while vehicular pollution is strictly checked and directives issued. A similar system in India is being called forth by activists.

Greenpeace India campaigner, Sunil Dahiya said, "We have monitoring stations and the data is available on the government's sites. But, the average citizens are not aware of the data. There is a need for an alarm system."

India's own governmental data showed that several cities in North India were in worse shape than Beijing, added Dahiya.

"We can no longer deny that we are in a state of crisis, and equally, that this crisis creates the imperative to come up with policies to put an end to India's air pollution crisis," said Dahiya.

Both national and regional plans are required on a long-term basis to truly affect the growing pollution crisis, according to environmentalists. The general population needs to be made aware of the crisis so that a collective effort can come into place.

"The Delhi Government's car rationing policy and move to shut down power plants will reduce pollution, but we need to move to renewable energy," added Dahiya.