Report on Winter Pollution: CSE

• 25 Feb 2021

Why in News

Recently, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) reported that the levels of PM 2.5, worsened in 43 out of 99 cities whose winter air was compared for two years, 2020 and 2019.

• PM 2.5 refers to fine particulate matter smaller than 2.5 micrometers in diameter. It causes respiratory problems and also reduces visibility. It is an endocrine disruptor that can affect insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity, thus contributing to diabetes.
• CSE is a public interest research and advocacy organisation based in New Delhi. It researches into, lobbies for and communicates the urgency of development that is both sustainable and equitable.

Key Points

• Findings:
  
  • Worst Performers:
    
    • The cities with the worst pollution spikes in 2020 over 2019 include Gurugram, Lucknow, Jaipur, Visakhapatnam, Agra, Navi Mumbai, and Jodhpur. Kolkata is the only mega city in this group.
    • When ranked from the most to the least polluted cities, 23 of the most polluted cities are from north India.
    • Ghaziabad is the most polluted city in the northern belt.
  • Best Performers:
    
    • Only 19 registered “substantial improvement” in PM 2.5 levels, one of these was Chennai.
    • There are only four cities (Satna, Mysuru, Vijaypura and Chikkamagaluru) that have met the national 24-hour standard (60 μg/m³) during the winter season.
    • Satna and Maihar in Madhya Pradesh, and Mysuru in Karnataka, are the cleanest cities in the country.
  • Seasonal Peak Levels:
    
    • In 37 cities that are otherwise showing stable or declining seasonal averages, their peak pollution levels have risen significantly during winter.
      
      • These include Aurangabad, Indore, Nashik, Jabalpur, Rupnagar, Bhopal, Dewas, Kochi, and Kozhikode.
    • In North India, other cities, including Delhi, have experienced the reverse, that is, an increase in the seasonal average but decline in the seasonal peak.
• Causes of Spike in Winter Pollution:
  
  • Lockdown and Regional Factors: In the aftermath of the lockdown, several cities reported improved pollution levels but by winter, when lockdowns were significantly eased, pollution levels had clawed back to pre-Covid-19 levels.
    
    • This underlines the significant contribution of local and regional factors to a city’s pollution levels.
  • Calm Weather: During winter, cool and calm weather traps and spikes daily pollution, particularly in north Indian cities located in the Indo Gangetic Plain.
    
    • In 2020, the average level of PM 2.5 during the summer and monsoon months was considerably lower than the previous year due to the summer lockdown.
    • However, the winter PM 2.5 concentration has risen compared to the 2019 winter in many cities across regions.
• Basis of Analysis:
  
  • Data from Pollution Control Board: The analysis is part of the air pollution tracker initiative of CSE. It’s based on publicly available granular real time data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
  • CAAQMS Data: The data is captured from 248 official stations under the Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring System (CAAQMS) spread across 115 cities in 22 States and Union Territories.
    
    • CAAQMS facilitates in measuring a real time monitoring of Air Pollution, including particulate matter, all round the year.
    • It also displays digitally, other viral statistics of weather, to include wind speed, direction, ambient temperature, relative humidity, solar radiation, barometric pressure and rain gauge.
• Significance:
  
  • Emphasised that rather than mega cities, it was the smaller and upcoming cities that were emerging as pollution hotspots.
  • The report findings call for quicker reforms and action in key sectors of pollution - vehicles, industry, power plants and waste management to control winter pollution and bend the annual air pollution curve.
• Initiatives to Control Air Pollution:
  
  • The Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region (NCR) and Adjoining Areas.
  • Bharat Stage (BS) VI norms.
  • Dashboard for Monitoring Air Quality.
  • National Clean Air Programme.
  • National Air Quality Index (AQI).
  • Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.
  • Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY).

Source:TH