Honourable Prime Ministerji,

Namaskar sir. I would like to explain here regarding the Air pollution problem of New Delhi and the
shifting of capital of India. According to Central Pollution control Board, the Air Quality Index (AQI) of
Delhi is 426 on 5.11.2022 which comes under severe category. AQI variation in Delhi from September
2021 to August 2022 is like this:
Mon Jan Feb March April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
th (202 (202 (2022) (2022) (202 (2022) (2022) (2022) (2021) (2021) (2021) (2021)
2) 2) 2)
AQI 279 224 157 197 212 117 87 98 78 173 377 336
(poo (Poo (Modera (Moder (Poo (Modera (Satisfact (Satisfact (Satisfact (Modera (Sever (Sever
r) r) te) ate r) te) ory) ory) ory) te) e) e)

This table implies that except three months (July to September) the remaining all the nine months Delhi
records high pollution levels with the highest peak values during winter months of November to
February.

The reasons for this is well known to all scientific communities. This pollution problem is due to various
factors like burning and bursting of firecrackers and effigies during Vijayadashami, Diwali, Karthika
purnima and in other festive occasions, stubble burning, road dust, vehicular traffic pollution,
industrial releases and cold weather. The stubble burning (remnants of agricultural wastes in the fields)
is not only confined to the surrounding states of Delhi but also Afghanistan and Pakistan. I would like to
mention here the problem regarding the meteorological conditions of Delhi during winter. Generally
temperature decreases with height in the atmosphere but if increases it is called inversion. In the lower
troposphere of Delhi during winter ground is cooler and temperature above is warmer (Fig.1). Thus
inversion develops and this causes high subsidence to prevail. Due to this subsidence- inversion (Fig.2)
wide spread air descends and sits over the ground and upto 4-5km above. Once this happens it will not
allow the pollutants to go out of the city area and allow to settle and remain for a long time particularly
in the early hours of the day. These pollutants are not practically possible to be prevented or dissipated
easily from the Delhi environment permanently during winter. Even if dissipation methods are
undertaken they are temporary due to the existing meteorological conditions over Delhi. So the only
solution left is shifting of the capital of India to a place which has moderate climatic conditions, less
pollution and suitable distance to all Indians.

I consider New Delhi is not a suitable capital for India. It is not centrally located for majority of Indians.
Climatically speaking it has extreme climates like very cold in winter and very hot in summer added to it
the problem of pollution. So under these circumstances, I feel the capital of India may be shifted to a city
which has moderate climate throughout the year, less vehicular and industrial activity, more safe due to
terroristic attacks, well communication facilities, relatively less cost of living, availability of large space,
enough rainfall and no dearth of water, less storms etc.. This kind of cities are available in Central India. I
suggest Hyderabad is one of such cities. As anyway President’s Rashtrapathi Nilayam (camp office) is in
Hyderabad and she spends at least two weeks in winter, Prime minister’s office and the capital of India
can also be shifted to Hyderabad either permanently or seasonally during winter depending on the
possibility.

Fig.1. Wind and air mass pattern (Red and blue arrows)( left) and Temperature inversion (right)

Fig.2. As Cool air is above it is heavier and so tends to sink toward the ground and warm air from ground tends to
go up as it is lighter. Thus the heavier cool air sits on the ground along with the pollutants.