The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) revealed on Sunday that the levels of air pollution during Diwali 2020 were found much higher as compared to the last year while a significant dip was found in noise pollution level.
In a special report, it is stated that the Pollution Control Board said almost all pollutants reported higher values on Diwali day and pre-Diwali days this year as compared to 2019. "It is observed that if compared with 2019 pre-Deepawali day (21.10.2019) concentrations of NO2, PM10 and PM2.5 were found to be much higher on the pre-Deepawali day (on 09.11.2020) at all the monitored locations, while SO2 concentrations were at a similar level. On Deepawali day (14.11.2020), almost all the pollutants reported higher values as compared to 2019 Diwali day". The report also attributed its outcome to the high share of stubble burning and meteorological conditions and the perennial issue of deteriorated air quality during November in Delhi-NCR, not on account of fire-cracker bursting.
Although Pitampura recorded an increase in PM10 and SO2 indicating the impact of firecracker bursting on Deepawali day, it added. "The contribution of stubble burning in Delhi's PM2.5 concentration was 32 percent on Diwali day this year as compared to 19 percent last year. Hence, it may be inferred that elevated PM2.5 concentrations in 2020 in comparison to previous year had enhanced contribution of stubble burning and the same is also reflected in elevated levels of CO and NO2," the report stated.
The Central Pollution Control Board observed that the hourly average concentration of PM2.5 started increasing from 11 p.m. on November 14, it reached a peak in most of the stations at around 1 a.m. and continued at higher levels till 5 a.m. The city-level average calculated for PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations on Deepawali day (14.11.2020) were 645 µg/m3 and 483 µg/m3 respectively. Meanwhile, the central agency noticed a significant drop in the noise pollution level this year in comparison to 2019.
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