Examine the factors responsible for the occurrence of dust storms in Delhi and parts of the Indo-Gangetic Plains and discuss how to reduce the impact of such dust storms. (200 words)
Refer – Financial Express
Enrich the answer from other sources, if the question demands.
IAS Parliament 6 years
KEY POINTS
Dust storm
· A dust storm is a strong, turbulent wind that carries clouds of fine dust, soil, and sand over a large stretch, which mainly occurs in arid and semi-arid regions.
· In case of a dust storm, due to excessive heating, the water from the clouds evaporates before it could land.
· So soil is dry and the severe winds lift this soil up to 500 metres above the land.
· While wind speed is normally around 50 kmph in a thunderstorm, in case of dust storm, it reaches up to 100 kmph and in some cases it can touch 130 kmph, making conditions severe.
Factors causing dust storm
· According to IMD, there were primarily four reasons that lead to the dust storm –
a) excessive heating
b) availability of moisture
c) instability in atmosphere
d) a trigger for the storm
· The north Indian plains have been witnessing temperatures of over 40 degree Celsius.
· There were two sources of moisture – a western disturbance over north Pakistan and adjoining Jammu and Kashmir and easterly winds from the Bay of Bengal.
· These two systems destabilised the equilibrium between the upper and lower layers of atmosphere – making it conducive for the thunderstorm.
· The cold winds from the western disturbance was making atmosphere unstable. The trigger was a cyclonic circulation over Haryana.
Mitigation Measures
· Public infrastructure needs to be upgraded and construction of huge structures must be regulated in the northern region by allowing for wind breakers.
· The IMD has to convey early warnings to centre, the states concerned as well as disaster management teams which helps in coordination and rescue work.
· Administrators and personnel have to be adequately qualified to handle rescue and rehabilitation to reduce the damage to the vulnerable lives.
· Awareness should be spread to people in the hotspot regions to take precautions against extreme weather and renovate old buildings which may not be safe in such weather conditions.
