The End of Episode 1 is Just the Beginning of Episode 2 of Air Pollution

Air quality has already hit the ‘severe’ category in Delhi NCR and in most cities along the GT Road, and the situation is expected to get worse as meteorologists have forecasted extreme cold conditions from December to February, which is likely to lead to very high levels of air pollution in the Indo-Gangetic plains.

North India is expected to experience a prolonged spell of air pollution in the coming months with the appearance of the La Niña effect, along with other factors like low wind speeds, severe cold, biomass burning and more.

More number of colder days are likely in the season due to the La Niña and will invariably lead to a greater number of ‘poor’ to ‘severe’ air quality days ahead for the entire Indo-Gangetic plains till mid- February or beyond. Wintertime is already conducive for pollution and a further drop in mercury would only worsen the present situation.

The cities along the GT Road from Amritsar, Punjab, to Kolkata, West Bengal, witness 2 episodes of air pollution, where local emissions, stubble burning and firecrackers are contributors to Episode 1 between late October and late November. The factors contributing to Episode 2 between 15^th December to Mid-February or beyond include severe winter conditions, local emissions, biomass burning leading to a greater concentration of pollutants where we breathe due to cold air inversion.

Global Strategic Communications Council (GSCC), a global network of communications professionals in the field of climate and energy stated “In the wintertime, cold air frequently settles over northern India and wintertime temperature inversions contribute to the build-up of haze”. Inversions occur when cold air gets trapped under a layer of warm air. Since the cold air cannot rise above the warm air, pollution builds in the cold air as long as the temperature inversion lasts.

It is wise to prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Nirvana Being, India’s leading clean air solutions business offers an array of products for both indoors and outdoors to help your breath pure.

Prevention, always better than cure!