New Delhi: An IIT-Kanpur study that has identified trucks and road dust as the largest contributors behind Delhi's polluted air, is likely to be deliberated upon and officially released by the AAP government this week. The report of the study titled 'Source Apportionment Study of PM2.5 and PM10' has played a major role behind the recent announcement of a series of anti-pollution measures by the Delhi government.
A top government functionary said that the "exhaustive findings" of the report will be closely scrutinised during the deliberations as they have "for the first time" identified separate patterns of pollution during summers and winters. "The report has said that during winters the overall contribution of road dust comes down, which peaks during the dry summer months. Vehicular emissions make the city's air abysmally poor during the winter months," a senior government official said.
The report of the study, that was commissioned in 2013 and runs into over 300 pages, also recommends a switch to Euro VI emission compliant petrol and diesel. Incidentally, the city government announced its decision to adopt Euro VI by 2017 after receiving the report. Euro IV fuels, currently in force in major cities, contain 50 parts per million (ppm) sulphur, while Euro VI stipulates 10 ppm sulphur. BS IV and BS VI are equivalents to the corresponding Euro fuels.
The lead investigator of the study Professor Mukesh Sharma would be asked to explain as to how they arrived at the conclusion and projected the figures, the official said. "Sharma was to come over last month itself but that had to be postponed. However, we are expecting him this week. After the meeting the report would be finalised for official release, possibly by midweek," the official said.
The city government had recently announced that trucks would not be allowed to enter Delhi before 11 PM, extending the restriction by two hours. Trucks and other commercial vehicles entering the city have also been directed to pay 'Economic Compensation Charge' as per an order of the Supreme Court. The IIT-Kanpur study also says that pollution in Delhi cannot be treated in isolation and takes into account sources contributing in and around 300-km radius of the city, which automatically factors in crop residue burning.
The government stated that the suggestions in the study were more "constructive" as it focused on the 'dos' rather than 'dont's'. "Congestion tax and others are more regulatory in nature but the solutions proposed like replacing of Euro IV by Euro VI may prove to be game changers," Environment Secretary Ashwani Kumar had said. But most of the measures, suggested in the report, would require considerable investment and cooperation of neighbouring states, he added.
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