Residents of Delhi looking for a breath of fresh air in the hills might need to reconsider their plans. The air quality in Uttarakhand's capital, Dehradun, has deteriorated sharply, entering the severe category and nearly touching the 300 mark on the Air Quality Index (AQI). This alarming situation places it uncomfortably close to the pollution levels often seen in the national capital.
Fog and Geography Trap Pollutants in Doon Valley
According to the regional meteorological department, dense fog is expected over Dehradun district for the next three to four days, a condition predicted to worsen the city's AQI further. Dr. Ankur Kansal, an environmental engineer with the Uttarakhand Pollution Control Board, explained the geographical challenge. "Dehradun lies in a valley, and the pollutants here don't disperse unless it rains. If dry, cold and foggy conditions prevail, it will definitely have some impact on the pollution levels," he stated.
Data from the sole air quality monitoring station at Doon University showed the AQI at 221 on Thursday afternoon, rising to 227 by 7 pm. However, social activist Anoop Nautiyal pointed out that the situation was even grimmer earlier. "On Wednesday evening, the AQI had crossed the 300 mark as per some reports; even the sole monitoring station showed 283. Some mobile phones also reported 'AQI above 310'. These are alarming figures," he said, emphasizing that Dehradun's numbers are not far from Delhi's.
Single Station Data Hides a Scarier Reality
Nautiyal raised a critical concern about the location of the monitoring equipment, suggesting the official data might underrepresent the crisis. "Our monitoring station is at Doon University on the city outskirts; and compared to the numbers in the city centre and at places like the Clock Tower, it will be much lower. If we were getting live monitoring from these densely populated places, Dehradun's situation would be just as scary as any other north Indian city," he added.
Local residents and environmentalists blame the worsening air on a combination of factors:
- A massive influx of tourists.
- An exponential rise in construction activities, spurred by projects like the Delhi-Doon expressway.
- Rampant biomass burning and trash incineration.
Doon-based environmentalist Reenu Paul highlighted the disregard for regulations. "There are guidelines in place regarding construction work, like using green netting to control dust. But all of it is being flouted. Biomass burning is also high. People burn trash and garden waste along with bonfires, which might not seem much but it all contributes," she said.
Vehicular Emissions and Floating Population Add to Winter Woes
Experts are calling for urgent and imaginative policies to control the number of vehicles in the region. Dr. Vijay Shridhar, in-charge of the monitoring station at Doon University, cited research identifying the main culprits. "Research done so far makes it clear that in Doon, vehicular emissions and biomass burning are major contributors. We have a large floating population. In winter, the problem is severe. And these vehicles are adding to it," he explained.
The severe AQI levels in Dehradun shatter its image as a pristine hill escape. The convergence of geographical disadvantages, unchecked development, increased traffic, and local pollution sources has created a perfect storm, making its air as hazardous as in the plains it was supposed to provide respite from.
