Urbanization and Changing Air Quality in Delhi–A Comparative Analysis and Strategy for Its Better Management

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Firdaus, Ghuncha

Affiliations: Department of Geography, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh-202002, India

Note: [] Corresponding author. E-mail: zebaish_gf@yahoomail.com

Abstract: Air pollution, a demon created by mankind, can lead to consequences lasting from hours to decades. It has become a serious and growing problem in rapidly expanding cities of India where unprecedented and unplanned urbanization accompanied by rapid vehicular growth are among the major factors that exacerbate air quality. Delhi, the capital city of India, is facing an uphill task to provide clean air to its citizens. The present study analyzes the data of particulate pollutants (i.e. SPM, RSPM or PM10) concentration over the 17 years to assess the changing ambient air quality of the study area. The relationship between outdoor and indoor pollution levels was evaluated based on primary data collected from 1583 households of respective areas. On the bases of both primary and secondary sources of data, it can be summarized that the air quality in the study area has been deteriorating day by day and despite the implementation of different clean fuel policies, the pollutants were well above the standard limit set by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Use of indigenous plants as pollutants absorber was suggested to mitigate and manage this problem in the sustainable urban development perspectives. It is also recommended that more efforts should be made to understand the dynamics of urban environmental problems.

Keywords: Delhi, pollution, urbanization, CPCB, particulate pollutants

Journal: Asian Journal of Water, Environment and Pollution, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 23-31, 2011