DELHI AIR QUALITY: CPCB measurements in neighborhoods

DEEPAVALI IN DELHI:
How it affects the air quality


Deepavali, which celebrates the triumph of good over evil, is the most important Hindu festival.

Rows of little clay lamps with oil are lit during the festival and fireworks are an essential part of the celebration.

The smoke from the tens of thousands of fireworks set off during the festival, however, increases the levels of air pollution -- and there is the noise. The Central Pollution Control Board has looked at the air quality in eight neighborhoods of the Indian capital on the Deepavali days of 2006 and 2007.

Their report showed, not surprisingly, that the pollutants in the air exceeded by far the air quality standards. Here is a map from which you can find out what it was like in your neighborhood and also find the air quality standards.

The increased pollution caused by fireworks can lead to immediate and long-term health problems.

The local government of Delhi has launched a campaign against fireworks during Deepavali and roped in children to lead it.

These are some questions that we should consider:

What is being done to bring down the levels of pollution during Deepavali?

Festival of lights -- and fireworks!



LEARN MORE ABOUT:

Particulates

Nitrogen oxides

Sulphur dioxide


Are any religious or social organizations doing something to educate the people about the problems with fireworks or trying to organize celebrations that don't use traditional smoke-producing fireworks -- for example light shows?

Is India's large fireworks industry developing fireworks that reduce pollution? How big is the industry? How many are employed? How would bans on some types of fireworks affect them?

WHAT THE NUMBERS MEAN

The pollutants are weighed in micrograms -- that's one thousandth of a gram! -- and the numbers in the charts show how many micrograms of a pollutant were found in one cubic meter of air.

The pollutants called respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM) are really tiny things like dust, chemicals and soot and ash smaller than 10 microns in size that float around and can be breathed in. (They are about 1/7 as thick as your hair.) Suspended particulate matter are other tiny things floating in the air.
Click on the pollutants listed in the box at right to find out more about them and how they can affect you.


How's your neighborhood doing on Deepavali?
To find the levels of pollutants in your neighborhood on Deepavali, click on your on a red marker in your area on the map or on the list of localities at right.(Click on Hybrid or Satellite on the top right of the map to see an aerial picture of your neighborhood. Use the slider at left to enlarge the picture.) The charts are based on the 2006 and 2007 data released by the Central Pollution Control Board.

Besides the number of fireworks going off, other factors can also affect the air quality. The board said that in 2007 the air quality was poorer because of a lower temperature, slower wind speed and the lowering of the height where the air becomes unstable (known as average mixing height) compared to 2006.

But it also reported that possibly more crackers were set off in 2007 because it recorded a higher noise level. .

How's the air on Deepavali?
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