ABSTRACT
As per statistical findings published by WHO, air pollution is mainly responsible for non-communicable diseases causing an estimated one-quarter (24%) of all adult deaths from heart disease, 25% from stroke, 43% from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and 29% from lung cancer. Despite public outcry over severe air pollution, and both Centre and Delhi Government actively pursuing the issue of air quality and its monitoring on war footing, WHO’s database of more than 4,000 cities of 100 countries exhibits Delhi’s improved pollution level marginally between the year 2010 and 2014 but deteriorating again in the year 2015. However, in the year 2016, Delhi was ranked as sixth polluted city by WHO. The city’s PM2.5 annual average was 143 micrograms per cubic metre, more than three times the National Safe Standard, while the PM10 average was 292 micrograms per cubic metre, more than 4.5 times the national standard. This research study highlights the plight of the Indian cities affected by air pollution and specifically due to Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter (RSPM).
Under National Air Quality Monitoring Programme of India, three air pollutants viz., Sulphur di-oxide (SO2), Nitrogen di-oxides (NO2) and RSPM/PM10 have been identified as critical air pollutant which require regular monitoring at all the locations/air quality monitoring stations. The monitoring of pollutants is carried out 24 hours (4-hourly sampling for gaseous pollutants and 8-hourly sampling for particulate matter) with a frequency of twice a week resulting 104 observations in a year.
Statistics on air quality have been collected from 680 air quality monitoring stations from 300 cities/towns in states/UTs of India and thoroughly studied and analysed using analytical tools and techniques to examine the preparedness of the states/UTs of India towards this critical issue of the country. The air quality data from the year 2013 to 2016 have been collected from Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)/State Pollution Control Boards, open Government Data Platform of India (data.gov.in) and Centre on Control of Pollution Water, Air and Noise for this study.
The paper calls for adopting a multi-dimensional endeavour. The data thus obtained has been standardised, studied, analysed and the results have been displayed in the form of charts and Scatter plots. Correlation between the vital parameters such as Sulphur di-oxide (SO2), Nitrogen di-oxide (NO2) and PM10 generally responsible for air quality pollution has been studied, analysed and appropriately exhibited through plots. The corresponding trends of the variables have been comprehensively dealt.
The main objectives of the study is to analyse the concentration of vital pollutants in the air quality of India during the years 2013 to 2016:
Trend analysis of level of Sulphur di-oxide (SO2) in the air of India
Trend analysis of level of Nitrogen di-oxide (NO2)in the air of India
Trend analysis of level of PM10 in the air of India
Correlation between the levels of Sulphur di-oxide (SO2) and Nitrogen di-oxide (NO2)
Correlation between the levels of Sulphur di-oxide (SO2) and PM10
Correlation between the levels of Nitrogen di-oxide (NO2) and PM10
124It is observed that the air quality vis-à-vis SO2 and NO2 are within the prescribed limits during the years 2013 to 2016, however, the level of PM10 exceeds prescribed NAAQ Standards in most of the cities and depicts fluctuating trends during this period. The probable reasons may be attributed to the large scale use of Gen-sets and subsequent emission from it, small scale industries, biomass incineration, suspension of traffic dust/natural dust, commercial and domestic use of fuel and vehicular emission.
The present levels of air pollution especially w.r.t. RSPM is a national public health crisis and the newly proposed “National Clean Air Action Plan – 2016” has taken stringent action in all the cities to comply with clean air standards. The Government of India is making sincere efforts towards promoting the usage of clean and green gas and effective implementation of requisite quality control through BSES. Stringent compliance of National Action Plan towards Air pollution Control, enforcement of environmental standards, Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), doubling of the environment budgeting would depict its impact towards air pollution control in India.
