5 days ago
Dust, industrial & vehicle emissions top contributors to Faridabad air pollution
Faridabad: A first of its kind study in Faridabad shows that the NCR city's air is a swirl of road and construction dust, and industrial and vehicular emissions – the three largest contributors to pollution throughout the year.
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The study, conducted by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) for Municipal Corporation of Faridabad under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), estimated that road and construction dust contributes up to 51% of PM10 pollutant.
Industrial emissions – primarily from coal and diesel combustion — account for 38% of PM2.5, the more dangerous and lung-penetrating particulate matter (PM).
Vehicular pollution is responsible for 91% of nitrogen oxides (NOx) — gases that contribute to smog and exacerbate respiratory illnesses — as well as carbon monoxide (CO) and non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs).
Tailpipe emissions make up for 7% of PM10 and 10% of PM2.5, the study titled 'Ambient Air Pollution Source Apportionment Study of Faridabad' found.
"This report provides Faridabad with a scientific foundation for policy and regulatory decisions and underscores the need for urgent and sustained action to improve public health and quality of life in the city," said Ved Prakash Sharma, one of the lead researchers of the study.
Pollution, round the year in the city
According to the report, the dominant pollutant at a specific time changes as seasons shift. Dust, for instance, accounts for the largest chunk of pollution in the summer months because dry winds aid its suspension.
In winter, pollution spikes as cold weather and calm winds allow PM2.5 and PM10 – released from farm fires, among other sources -- to linger in the air.
The study highlighted that 40% of winter pollution originates outside the city's borders, underscoring the need for regional coordination and inter-city policies.
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"During winter, stubble burning from farms is a key contributor to pollution in Faridabad, as is the case for most of Delhi-NCR. It also depends on the wind direction," Sharma said.
The researcher said this contrast between summer and winter pollution profiles must prompt govts to take a dynamic approach for mitigating pollution. "In summer, govt must prioritise dust suppression measures such as mechanised street sweeping, water sprinkling, and enforcing construction site controls.
On the other hand, winter pollution is largely driven by vehicular emissions, biomass burning and industrial activity.
So, stricter enforcement of emission norms becomes critical. A one-size-fits-all policy won't work," Sharma said.
Despite the seasonal variations, pollution levels were high all year long.
The TERI study – which assessed air quality at industrial, residential, commercial, kerbside and background sites during summer and winter – found that PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations were far beyond India's safe limits.
In summer 2022, average PM10 was 305-364 µg/m³. The limit is 100 µg/m³.
Similarly, in the winter of 2023, PM2.5 scaled 126 µg/m³, more than twice the maximum limit of 60 µg/m³.
Warning, and the way ahead
If the current trends persist, Sharma said, particulate matter emissions are likely to increase 57-65% by 2035.
But, if the city gets its act together, it could significantly reduce pollution, the study said. Possible interventions listed for the transport sector include shifting to electric vehicles, phasing out older diesel vehicles, addressing issues that lead to regular traffic jams at specific spots, introducing high rates for parking on roads and increasing penalties for violating norms.
To reduce residential and industrial emissions, the report says the focus must remain on switching to cleaner fuels such as LPG and solar instead of traditional coal-powered systems.
Similarly, the ban on open waste burning must be enforced and use of diesel generators should be reduced sharply. Construction sites must follow all norms to manage dust pollution, and cities should consider regular mechanised sweeping and developing green belts, the study points out.
If Faridabad manages to meet its goals, PM10 level in winter can be 43% lower than the existing average by 2035, and PM2.5 can be halved.
"If Faridabad rigorously implements the full suite of interventions, the city can not only reduce winter PM2.5 levels by over 40% but also meet the daily safe limits for both PM10 and PM2.5 by 2035. This is a realistic and achievable target, but it requires sustained political will, inter-agency coordination, and year-round enforcement," said Sharma said.
Until now, Delhi was the only NCR city where source apportionment analysis was carried out regularly to pinpoint key causes of pollution.
Shubhansh Tiwari, a research associate at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said such research is crucial for developing "effective strategies" to reduce pollution.
Faridabad was the only Haryana district to be tagged as a 'non-attainment' city under Centre's National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) because it consistently failed to meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS).
The city was subsequently given the target of reducing PM concentrations by 20-30% by 2024, using 2017 levels as the baseline.
A regional officer of the Haryana State Pollution Control Board told TOI that the agency has received the TERI report.
"A detailed roadmap for air quality improvement using all possible measures has been suggested," the official said.
