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- Hindi Portal
- Topics
- Feature
- Opportunities & Events
- Data
- Hindi Portal
As the festive glow of Diwali fades from Indian skies, a growing concern over rising pollution levels emerges. Each year, the joyous celebrations are marred by deteriorating air quality, as emissions from firecrackers exacerbate the already significant pollution from vehicles and industries in urban areas.
Even before Diwali commenced, Delhi's air quality had already worsened over several days, with most monitoring stations recording 'very poor' levels on the Air Quality Index (AQI). This was primarily attributable to stubble burning in neighboring states, vehicular emissions, firecracker usage, and unfavourable weather conditions.
Data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) revealed a 24-hour average AQI of 301 on November 13, 2023, significantly exceeding the normal range of 0-50. An AQI value above 300 is categorised as hazardous to health. On November 4, the AQI surged to a hazardous level of 353.
In addition to the severe air pollution, Delhi is also grappling with rising water pollution. The Yamuna River is increasingly polluted with thick froth laden with high levels of ammonia and phosphates. The situation in other major cities, Kolkata and Mumbai, has also deteriorated, ranking them fourth and eighth, respectively, among the world's top 10 most polluted cities.
According to the West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB), the AQI in most parts of Kolkata exceeded 200, ranging from 230 to 290 in different regions. In Mumbai, the overall AQI was around 230, as recorded post-Diwali 2023.
Experts are sounding the alarm about the potential health risks associated with these issues. They emphasise the importance of identifying and eliminating local pollution sources. They also advocate for remedial measures in urban centers, particularly to address the escalating levels of particulate matter (PM) in the air.
One of the most effective strategies to improve air quality is by expanding green spaces in these cities through tree planting. Trees naturally purify the air by absorbing harmful pollutants, filtering PM, releasing clean oxygen, and significantly reducing smog levels.
“Cities like Delhi and Mumbai urgently require environmental interventions to bring down the alarming air pollution levels. Urban greenery is needed here to mitigate the urban heat island effect, absorb pollutants and improve air quality. Green lung spaces in concrete jungles play a critical part in sheltering biodiversity, filtering stormwater to reduce the kind of flooding that Delhi endured not too long ago, curbing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating the impact of climate change, " says Pradip Shah, co-founder of the social enterprise Grow-Trees.com, which is actively undertaking various afforestation initiatives across India.
Grow-Trees.com’s ‘Trees for Delhi’ project, has already planted over 1,80,000 trees in the capital and aims to plant a total of 2,05,000 trees. “The urban ecosystem of Delhi is defined by two major geographical features, the Yamuna River and the Delhi Ridge. It is essential to safeguard the ecological health of both. In 2025, in order to strengthen the city's resilience to environmental challenges, we aim to plant over 25,000 trees in areas including Yudhister Setu, Signature Bridge and Usmanpur Village,” adds Mr. Shah.
In a previous effort to combat air pollution, a plantation project was launched in various locations across the Delhi-NCR region. These locations included Yudhister Bridge IT Park, Jheel Park, Smriti Van, Golden Jubilee Garden, CWG Village, Green Belt Yamuna, Art of Living area near Yamuna, and Sanjay Lake.
The project focused on planting a diverse selection of fruit-bearing and medicinal trees, including Neem, Shisham, Jamun, Sohajna, Peepal, Ashok, Pilkhan, Papri, and Burma Dek. Each of these trees, upon reaching maturity, has the potential to absorb roughly 20 kilograms of CO₂ annually. This is a conservative estimate for the average CO₂ sequestration potential of trees around the world.
Rising pollution levels in cities like Kolkata have a significant impact on climate change, and this in turn can threaten ecologically sensitive areas like the Sundarbans in West Bengal. Recognising this, Grow-Trees.com has launched the Trees for Tigers® initiative. This program aims to plant a total of 210,000 trees in the villages of Ranabelia, Randhanagar, Manmathanagar, Harispur, and Ramnagar within the Gosaba Block of West Bengal.
Another Trees for Tigers® project is underway in Ramtek, Maharashtra. This project has a goal of planting over 536,023 trees in the region. These trees will contribute to mitigating climate change impacts and reducing potential conflicts between humans and wildlife.