Ishita Roy

Delhi Air Pollution: Parali Burning, Fire Crackers, And More Leads To "Very Poor" AQI

Delhi AQI and parali burning

As of now, the average AQI of Delhi stands at 359, under the "very poor" category. However, it is not because the winters are here and the pollution is staying more towards the ground. It starts way before.

Every year, as October approaches, just right before Diwali, the capital city feels polluted. The crackers which are burned on Diwali lead to a spike in AQI levels. However, even before that, the air feels smokey. It is because of the Parali Burning, or stubble burning.

It is a traditional practice and is common in Punjab and Haryana. This is when the remaining partition of rice plants after harvesting, which are of no use to farmers, are burnt. This is a faster and cost-effective way for farmers. However, it has many health risks. 

Furthermore, when it is mixed with the pollution from Diwali cracker burning, it contributes to a further spike in the AQI. In view of the increasing pollution, the Delhi Supreme Court this Diwali banned crackers till January 2025 and has recently also asked for a complete ban, on not just Diwali, but throughout. 

In 2018, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) of India also banned the harmful practice of parali burning. The law presently fines farmers who burn stubble. However, despite these steps, both, the act of parali burning and firecracker burning are still continuing.

The act of parali burning emits harmful and toxic gases such as carbon monoxide, which facilitate air pollution. This can cause health problems including skin irritation, respiratory issues, cancer, and asthma. 

As per the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution can lead to stroke, ischaemic heart disease, CPOD, lung cancer, pneumonia, and cataracts.

A week ahead, Lahore reported a 1900 AQI, and now Multan reported a 2100 AQI. The Pakistan government is blaming India's parali burning as one of the major contributors to worsening smog. As a result, schools and other institutions are asked to operate from home to avoid getting sick. 

Dr Sanjay Jain, a Delhi-based ENT and a member of DocTube also noted an increase in the number of patients with respiratory issues. "I have seen a notable increase in patients with upper respiratory tract infections, chronic sinusitis, and allergic rhinitis, which are directly linked to rising pollution levels," he says. From his experience, he has noticed a rough increase of 30 to 40% of patients with pollution-related ENT issues.

Dr Jain says that prolonged exposure to pollution can cause chronic ear infections in children due to inflammation in the Eustachian tube. "This is not commonly recognised by the people," he says. 

Between 2021-22, Delhi's annual average PM2.5 was 20 times more than the WHO guidelines, mentioning a study titled What Is Polluting Delhi's Air? A Review from 1990 to 2022.

This year, even before Diwali, Delhi's AQI has crossed 300, in several parts, it has crossed 350 too, stepping closer to "severe" on the AQI.

The study mentions that Delhi's major contributor to pollution is road transport. With a large portion of the national vehicle fleet (8%) in a small area, traffic congestion and high exposure to pollution on roads are major issues. Studies also show that 55% of the population in Delhi is within 100 metres of main roads and exposed to PM2.5 concentrations higher than average environmental concentration.

To beat pollution from traffic ways the promotion of electric vehicles, metro rail, carpooling and Odd-Even experiments have been carried out.

Another major factor is the agricultural waste burning. Due to time constraints and the lack of an affordable and wide-scale residue management system, farmers consider burning the residue a faster and cheaper way by burning the crops before winter, leading to pollution in the capital city. It is also ranked as the 5th most active fire and its long-range transport of its emissions to Delhi contributes to up to 50% of the daily averages. While it lasts for only 2 to 3 weeks, contributing to less than 3% of Delhi's averages, it has the most extreme nature of health impacts.

Other factors like residential emissions, waste management, the construction sector, road dust and burning firecrackers. In some of the hotspots, burning crackers can peak at 1000 to 3000 µg/m3 (unit to measure air pollution). As per a 2016 report, in Delhi, 5 million kilos of firecrackers or 30% of the national sale are used by 1.6% of the national population, living in 0.5% of the national landmass.

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As of now, the average AQI of Delhi stands at 359, under the "very poor" category. However, it is not because the winters are here and the pollution is staying more towards the ground. It starts way before. Every year, as October approaches, just right before Diwali, the capital city feels polluted. The crackers which are burned on Diwali lead to a spike in AQI levels. However, even before that, the air feels smokey. It is because of the Parali Burning, or stubble burning. It is a traditional practice and is common in Punjab and Haryana. This is when the remaining partition of rice plants after harvesting, which are of no use to farmers, are burnt. This is a faster and cost-effective way for farmers. However, it has many health risks. Furthermore, when it is mixed with the pollution from Diwali cracker burning, it contributes to a further spike in the AQI. In view of the increasing pollution, the Delhi Supreme Court this Diwali banned crackers till January 2025 and has recently also asked for a complete ban, on not just Diwali, but throughout. In 2018, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) of India also banned the harmful practice of parali burning. The law presently fines farmers who burn stubble. However, despite these steps, both, the act of parali burning and firecracker burning are still continuing. Health RisksThe act of parali burning emits harmful and toxic gases such as carbon monoxide, which facilitate air pollution. This can cause health problems including skin irritation, respiratory issues, cancer, and asthma. As per the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution can lead to stroke, ischaemic heart disease, CPOD, lung cancer, pneumonia, and cataracts.A week ahead, Lahore reported a 1900 AQI, and now Multan reported a 2100 AQI. The Pakistan government is blaming India's parali burning as one of the major contributors to worsening smog. As a result, schools and other institutions are asked to operate from home to avoid getting sick. Dr Sanjay Jain, a Delhi-based ENT and a member of DocTube also noted an increase in the number of patients with respiratory issues. "I have seen a notable increase in patients with upper respiratory tract infections, chronic sinusitis, and allergic rhinitis, which are directly linked to rising pollution levels," he says. From his experience, he has noticed a rough increase of 30 to 40% of patients with pollution-related ENT issues.Dr Jain says that prolonged exposure to pollution can cause chronic ear infections in children due to inflammation in the Eustachian tube. "This is not commonly recognised by the people," he says. Pollution In Delhi-NCRBetween 2021-22, Delhi's annual average PM2.5 was 20 times more than the WHO guidelines, mentioning a study titled What Is Polluting Delhi's Air? A Review from 1990 to 2022.This year, even before Diwali, Delhi's AQI has crossed 300, in several parts, it has crossed 350 too, stepping closer to "severe" on the AQI.The study mentions that Delhi's major contributor to pollution is road transport. With a large portion of the national vehicle fleet (8%) in a small area, traffic congestion and high exposure to pollution on roads are major issues. Studies also show that 55% of the population in Delhi is within 100 metres of main roads and exposed to PM2.5 concentrations higher than average environmental concentration.To beat pollution from traffic ways the promotion of electric vehicles, metro rail, carpooling and Odd-Even experiments have been carried out.Another major factor is the agricultural waste burning. Due to time constraints and the lack of an affordable and wide-scale residue management system, farmers consider burning the residue a faster and cheaper way by burning the crops before winter, leading to pollution in the capital city. It is also ranked as the 5th most active fire and its long-range transport of its emissions to Delhi contributes to up to 50% of the daily averages. While it lasts for only 2 to 3 weeks, contributing to less than 3% of Delhi's averages, it has the most extreme nature of health impacts.Other factors like residential emissions, waste management, the construction sector, road dust and burning firecrackers. In some of the hotspots, burning crackers can peak at 1000 to 3000 µg/m3 (unit to measure air pollution). As per a 2016 report, in Delhi, 5 million kilos of firecrackers or 30% of the national sale are used by 1.6% of the national population, living in 0.5% of the national landmass.

Delhi Air Pollution: Parali Burning, Fire Crackers, And More Leads To 'Very Poor' AQI

delhi air pollution: parali burning, fire crackers, and more leads to "ver poor" aqi

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Delhi Air Pollution: Parali Burning, Fire Crackers, And More Leads To 'Very Poor' AQI

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