Students wearing anti-pollution masks cross a road in New Delhi.
Credit: PTI Photo
It is that time of the year when Delhi chokes on toxic air, with pollution shooting up to dangerous levels and affecting normal lives. Schools have been closed and attempts are being made to control vehicular traffic, which accounts for about 30% of Delhi’s air pollution, through introduction of the odd-even number scheme. The Supreme Court has sought affidavits from the governments of Delhi and neighbouring states on the steps taken to reduce air pollution. The court has termed the situation in Delhi as “murder of people’s health”. Stubble-burning by farmers in Punjab and Haryana is a major factor in degrading the air in Delhi. It is claimed that stubble-burning has come down this year but that is no consolation when the air quality is still extremely bad and people suffer from the effects of pollution. The truth is that no effective strategy has been found to check it over all these years that people and governments have been aware of the problem. The Supreme Court said on Tuesday that the matter required immediate attention and monitoring.
The seriousness of the situation in the national capital can be gauged from the fact that the Air Quality Index (AQI) there crossed 470 this week while the recommended level for a healthy person is 50 and below. The PM2.5 (particulate matter of 2.5 microns) is above 360, which is many times the limit prescribed by WHO. These numbers have been quoted for years and the reality that they represent is that Delhi is an unliveable city. It is the world’s most polluted city and pollution-related health problems are rising every year. One out of every three children suffer from asthma or other breathing disorders. Many of these disorders lead to fatalities and debilitating conditions. Bad air is also carcinogenic. Pollution affects productivity and has an impact on the country’s GDP. When the public health system is also below par, pollution imposes a heavy burden on the people and the State.
There are a number of factors that contribute to air pollution in Delhi, as in other places. All of them, including stubble-burning, high-density vehicular transport and unregulated construction activity, need to be tackled. An inefficient garbage disposal system adds to the problem. The blame game between political parties has not helped. There is lack of coordination between various agencies involved in the fight against pollution. The odd-even number scheme was implemented for short periods in 2017 but there were differences between the Delhi government and the National Green Tribunal (NGT) over its implementation and impact. There has to be comprehensive action in tackling all factors that cause pollution throughout the year if the air quality has to improve. This has been lacking.