Trucks and road dust bigger pollutants than Delhi cars, says IIT-K study

Even though Arvind Kejriwal, the CM of Delhi, plans to target private vehicles to keep air pollution under control, a study by IIT-Kanpur has shown that cars and jeeps contribute less than 10% of the particulate matter in Delhi’s air, citing trucks and two-wheelers as the bigger culprits.

As per the Delhi Statistical Hand Book 2015, the city had 88.27 lakh registered vehicles, including 27.91 lakh cars & jeeps and 56.81 lakh motorcycles & scooters, as of March 31, 2015.

Another big contributor in Delhi's air pollution is road dust, which accounts for about 35% of tiny particles known as PM 2.5, which is followed by vehicles including both cars and trucks. PM 2.5 refers to fine particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 micrometres or less.

Other than these, major contributors are domestic cooking, power plants and not to forget, industries. Vehicle emissions account for an average of 25% PM 2.5 levels, which goes up to 36% in the winters.

Trucks and two-wheelers account for more of this air pollution than passenger cars' contribution, which is just 14 to 15% of the overall emissions.

This IIT-Kanpur report called 'Source Apportionment Study of PM 2.5 and PM 10', was submitted to the Delhi government late in November, and is said to be one of the triggers for the Delhi government's action plan to control Delhi’s air pollution.

"Road dust and construction dust are the biggest contributors to PM 10 and PM 2.5 as per the draft report from IIT-Kanpur — their contribution in PM 10 is up to 50%. In PM 2.5, trucks contribute the most among vehicles — up to 46%," A top official in the Delhi government told ET on condition of anonymity.

WHO recommends that the level of these particles in the breathing air should not cross the limit of 25 micrograms per cubic metre; however, Delhi sees more than 250 micrograms per cubic metre, which is hazardous.

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