 Summary of this article
- Pollution sources vary sharply by season: dust dominates summer air, while winter pollution is driven overwhelmingly (85–94%) by combustion sources such as vehicles, industry and biomass burning
- Farm fires in Punjab and Haryana, driven by short crop cycles and economic pressures, significantly spike Delhi’s pollution.
- Converting agricultural residue into biomass pellets and biochar can cut pollution, sequester carbon, and reduce reliance on coal
Delhi, India’s national capital, arguably has the worst air quality in the world. According to the World’s Most Polluted Cities report by IQ Air, it ranked second over the past decade. Each winter, heavy smog and multiple pollution sources push the Air Quality Index (AQI) beyond 500, equivalent to smoking 33–50 cigarettes a day. In 2020 alone, this pollution was linked to around 54,000 deaths and economic losses of $8.1 billion. Recent studies warn that the 30 million people living in the National Capital Region could lose up to 12 years of life expectancy due to prolonged exposure to toxic air.
Stubble Burning Crisis And Delhi’s Air Emergency
BY Harshita Das
Studies show clear seasonal shifts in Delhi’s pollution sources. In summer, dust accounts for around 31–34 per cent of pollution, but this falls to 6–15 per cent in winter. During winter, combustion sources, such as vehicles, industry and biomass burning, dominate, contributing 85–94 per cent of overall pollution.
To curb peak pollution during periods like winter and Diwali, authorities impose measures including odd–even traffic rules, construction bans to control dust, and schemes to discourage farm residue burning through in-situ management. Despite these efforts, biomass burning remains a major concern, peaking at around 26 per cent in winter and 22 per cent in summer, even under strict regulations. (Table 1).
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