Left-propagandist ‘news’ portal, NDTV, is up to its usual tricks again and is indirectly blaming Diwali for the bad air quality in Delhi.
On Saturday, NDTV reproduced a report published by the Press Trust of India (PTI), wherein it cited weather experts and government agencies to claim that the ‘very poor’ air quality of the National Capital might worsen by night and fall to ‘severe zone’. ‘Experts’ blamed it on emissions of fireworks and the presence of calm winds.
The headline read, “Diwali Weather: Delhi’s Air Quality Likely To Become “Severe” By Tonight.” Quite clearly, NDTV insinuated in its headline that Diwali is responsible for the current inhabitable condition in Delhi. But, the reality is starkly different from what the propagandists have been trying to promulgate.
The situation in Delhi had begun to worsen since September
In an article dated October 2, the Times of India pointed out that the National Capital had witnessed fewer ‘satisfactory’ air quality days in September this year as compared to the same month in the last two years. While an AQI (Air Quality Index) of less than 50 is considered as ‘good’, the average AQI for September this year stood at 118.
Delhi observed only 8 satisfactory’ air quality days in September 2020 as compared to 19 and 13 in September 2019 (AQI 98) and September 2018 (AQI 112) respectively. It must be mentioned that an AQI rating between 51 and 100 is deemed satisfactory.
“As there was a low-pressure formation in the Bay of Bengal, the air didn’t flow from south to north. The stagnation in the air increased the concentration of pollutants in the air and hence, AQI level went up this year in September,” explained former head of CPCB, Dipankar Saha. At the same time, Executive Director of CSE emphasised that the decline in air quality in September this year was due to lack of adequate rainfall. The pollution level is rising due to unlocking phases. Though public vehicles are limited, locals are using private vehicles. Waste burning has also been observed.”
Experts had made it clear as early as September that multiple environmental factors such as rainfall and man-made factors such as stubble burning and vehicular movement had been at the epicentre of moderate AQI index, even with no Diwali in sight.
Air Quality severe since 8 days before Diwali
In another article dated November 9, the Times of India pointed out that the air quality in Delhi had been severe consecutively since November 6. The report pointed out how the AQI had surpassed 416 and likely to stay that away. It becomes clear that even 8 days prior to Diwali, the air quality was severe in the National Capital.
“The average wind speed on Sunday was 3kmph and it dropped to nil a few times during the day. The wind direction was northwesterly, allowing pollutants from Punjab and Haryana to accumulate in Delhi,” stated India Meteorological Department (IMD) scientist Kuldeep Srivastava.
It is pertinent to remember that the sale of firecrackers had been banned in Delhi, prior to Diwali. While environmental factors and failure of the governments to prevent stubble burning had contributed to the inhabitable conditions in the National Capital, the left-liberal lobby had been falsely blaming Diwali for the rise in pollution.