Talking Shop: Pollution Collusion

“We’re the first generation

to feel the full effects of

Climate Change. And the

last generation that can

do something about it.”

—Barack Obama

Blaming my brand-new car and the country’s bewildered farmers for increasing pollution and SPM (suspended particulate matter) levels may give you a vicarious thrill, it might make you feel absolved and vindicated… It will make you insanely wrong too, because it means you have failed to recognize the systemic nature of the problem—that there are bigger hunters at work here. And unless they are tamed and kicked into line, there will be no absolution. Studies conducted by leading organizations, Indian and international, insist there are many hidden culprits defiling the air you and I breathe; among them industrial emissions, shipping zones, power plants… And you too, merrily cooking at home.

The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board’s website is as ticklish on this issue as it is telling: “There’s so much pollution in the air that if it weren’t for our lungs, there’d be no place to put it all. Thank God men cannot fly, and lay waste the sky as well as the Earth…” It is surprising to see a state-backed online channel getting quirky about a serious problem, but it is refreshing too—it underscores the fact that even the otherwise-occupied are now seized of the life-threatening plight we find ourselves in.

As former United States President Barack Obama says in his quote above, the world needs to act now, more so if it wants a tomorrow for the generations to follow. On the pollution and SPM scale of things, things have reached crisis level worldwide. For a moment, let’s speak India. And in this context, we simply have to speak Delhi, our National Capital which is registering alarming pollution levels, earning it the kick-in-the-nuts award for having the worst air quality in the world.

Insouciant Blame Game

The blame for rising pollution has been placed solely on smoke-belching automobiles and archaic agricultural practices, particularly stubble-burning by North India’s farmers. It is almost as if when it comes to pollutants, especially SPM, everyone wants to be seen as a vociferous anti-agent. After all, the muck that dots our air causes health problems like asthma, heart disease, and lung cancer. What’s needed is to dig deeper, rather than just blame winding traffic jams and burning crops. What of factories, industrial emissions, shipping, power plants, and residential cooking? These are unacknowledged, perhaps even unknown, but they are significant perpetrators.

India’s discourse on air pollution has focused on farmers in Punjab and Haryana. Sure, the seasonal practice of burning crop residue to clear fields for new sowing is a major source of particulate pollution. According to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), about 35 million tonnes of paddy stubble are burned each year, contributing savagely to SPM levels.

It is also crucial to remember that it crop-burning is a symptom of deeper issues in our country’s agricultural system—issues that go beyond mere negligence. The lack of proper machinery for residue management, coupled with delayed Government interventions, forces farmers into this unpardonable practice. “Farmers have no choice but to burn stubble due to the high cost of alternatives,” says Dr Arun Sharma, senior researcher at ICAR. “We need a holistic approach that supports farmers with cost-effective and sustainable methods of residue management.”

Industry: The Silent Polluter

Industries involved in manufacturing, cement production, steel-making and chemical processing emit vast quantities of particulate matter into the atmosphere. In industrial hubs like Mumbai, Kanpur and Ludhiana, factories churn out pollution day in and day out, contributing to the deteriorating air quality. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) says industrial emissions account for a significant share of Indian pollution. But unregulated and illegal emissions from industry are rarely mentioned in discussions about pollution. “The industrial sector is among the largest contributors to pollution, but it flies under the radar,” says air quality analyst PK Mishra. “The lack of monitoring, penalties and enforcement means factories remain unchecked.”

An example of industrial pollution can be seen in the steel factories in Jharkhand, where emissions from outdated technologies have turned once green landscapes into grey zones. Residents in these areas complain about the constant haze and black soot that covers their homes.

India’s vast coastline is also to blame is a tangential way. Home to some of the busiest ports in the world (Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai), our coastline handles enormous volumes of cargo. The shipping industry, both commercial and recreational, is a significant culprit. According to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), shipping emissions contribute nearly 3 per cent of global carbon di-oxide emissions, and India’s maritime traffic adds to this.

Pollution generated by ships is in the form of particulate matter, sulphur oxides and nitrogen oxides, which contribute to murderous air. Large container ships and oil tankers use low-grade fuel, emitting high levels of soot and sulphur. Port cities, already battling significant air pollution, are particularly vulnerable to the additional load from maritime activities. A study by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) found that emissions from ships are responsible for a large amount of air pollution along the coast. According to CSE Director-General Sunita Narain: “Port cities are becoming pollution hotspots due to the unregulated emissions from ships. The Government needs to enforce stricter regulations on maritime fuel standards.”

Your Cooking & Power Plants

This is an invisible and largely unknown culprit—people. In rural and even urban areas, the use of biomass for cooking and heating remains a significant cause of indoor air pollution. Millions of households rely on wood, cow dung and crop residue as fuel for stoves. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that over 9 crore people in India cook with biomass fuels, which emit high levels of harmful particulate matter.

These stoves expose families to harmful pollutants such as carbon monoxide, black carbon and other fine particulate matter. While the Government has made efforts to provide LPG connections the masses, crores still depend on traditional fuels. “Indoor air pollution remains a severe health risk in rural India,” says Dr GK Sharma, a Delhi-based public health expert. “Without addressing the supply of cleaner alternatives and the socio-economic factors that limit access to cleaner fuels, the problem will persist.”

Let’s visit the ‘BIG Polluters’—coal-fired power plants. These are among the largest sources of air pollution. Despite efforts to move toward renewable energy, coal continues to account for 70 per cent of India’s power generation. Power plants, especially those located in populated regions, emit large quantities of sulphur di-oxide, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter.

A 2022 report by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) highlighted that coal-fired power plants are responsible for a disproportionate share of the country’s particulate pollution. “We have made progress in renewable energy, but coal remains a major polluter,” says EPIC Director Michael Greenstone. “Until we transition to cleaner sources of energy, air pollution will continue to be a major challenge.”

What’s the solution then? It lies in understanding the problem as a multi-faceted one, not a banked matter, and visiting all culprits simultaneously.” It is crucial that Government, industries and citizens work together to reduce pollution, invest in cleaner technologies and adopt sustainable practices. Only then can we hope for a cleaner and healthier tomorrow. That, alas, is easier said than done.

The writer is a veteran journalist and communications specialist. He can be reached on narayanrajeev2006@gmail.com. Views expressed are personal