NEW DELHI: The annual average PM2.5 concentration of Delhi in 2022 fell below 100 micrograms per cubic metre for only the second time since 2017, making the year gone by the second cleanest in the last six years. However, the 2022 average was still 2.5 times higher than the annual national ambient air quality standard of 40 micrograms/cubic metre and 20 times higher than WHO’s safe limit of 5.
At 99.7 micrograms per cubic metre, Delhi’s PM2.5 level in 2022 was higher than only the average level recorded during the lockdown year of 2020 (99 micrograms per cubic metre), as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data.
Delhi’s air quality in 2022 saw an 8% improvement from the previous year, when the annual average PM2.5 was 107.8 micrograms per cubic metre. CPCB’s data shows that the average annual PM2.5 levels remained above 100 micrograms per cubic metre from 2017 to 2019.
Tanushree Ganguly, programme lead, Council on Energy Environment and Water (CEEW) said, “Delhi’s annual PM2.5 concentration in 2022 was about 8% lower than in 2021. While winter months (November-December) in 2022 were relatively cleaner as compared to 2021, summer months (March-June) in 2022 were more polluted than in 2021. This is mainly due to prolonged dry spells during the summer months and the consequent dust resuspension in the air.”
She added that winter months were better due to favourable meteorological conditions like higher wind speed and temperature and proactive implementation of anti-pollution measures. This year also witnessed a revamped GRAP that considers control measures based on air quality forecasts. Further, this year observed one of the lowest farm fire seasons in neighbouring states in the last five years, said Ganguly.
Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said, “We are noticing that the severity of winter pollution this year has been relatively low so far. This could have contributed towards moderating the overall annual average, leading to bending of the pollution curve. The combination of ground-level action and meteorological factors have lowered the annual PM2.5 concentration in 2022. However, the focus should be on sustaining and accelerating this downward trend in the future.”
Sunil Dahiya, analyst, Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), said, “Though Delhi’s air is not clean, there has been a reduction in annual concentration due to efforts made in some sectors, and favourable meteorological conditions. In 2022, cleaner days were recorded during the prolonged monsoon period when rain helped in settling down the pollutants.”
He added that more systematic actions are required in different sectors like transportation, industries and power plants, in larger airshed, including Haryana and Rajasthan, for sustained clean air.
At 99.7 micrograms per cubic metre, Delhi’s PM2.5 level in 2022 was higher than only the average level recorded during the lockdown year of 2020 (99 micrograms per cubic metre), as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data.
Delhi’s air quality in 2022 saw an 8% improvement from the previous year, when the annual average PM2.5 was 107.8 micrograms per cubic metre. CPCB’s data shows that the average annual PM2.5 levels remained above 100 micrograms per cubic metre from 2017 to 2019.
Tanushree Ganguly, programme lead, Council on Energy Environment and Water (CEEW) said, “Delhi’s annual PM2.5 concentration in 2022 was about 8% lower than in 2021. While winter months (November-December) in 2022 were relatively cleaner as compared to 2021, summer months (March-June) in 2022 were more polluted than in 2021. This is mainly due to prolonged dry spells during the summer months and the consequent dust resuspension in the air.”
She added that winter months were better due to favourable meteorological conditions like higher wind speed and temperature and proactive implementation of anti-pollution measures. This year also witnessed a revamped GRAP that considers control measures based on air quality forecasts. Further, this year observed one of the lowest farm fire seasons in neighbouring states in the last five years, said Ganguly.
Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said, “We are noticing that the severity of winter pollution this year has been relatively low so far. This could have contributed towards moderating the overall annual average, leading to bending of the pollution curve. The combination of ground-level action and meteorological factors have lowered the annual PM2.5 concentration in 2022. However, the focus should be on sustaining and accelerating this downward trend in the future.”
Sunil Dahiya, analyst, Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), said, “Though Delhi’s air is not clean, there has been a reduction in annual concentration due to efforts made in some sectors, and favourable meteorological conditions. In 2022, cleaner days were recorded during the prolonged monsoon period when rain helped in settling down the pollutants.”
He added that more systematic actions are required in different sectors like transportation, industries and power plants, in larger airshed, including Haryana and Rajasthan, for sustained clean air.
