Breath of despair

Delhi's air quality has been an area of concern for a long time; the existing conditions often rise to alarming rates during the festive seasons. The issue has been complex and multi-dimensional and has remained a challenge for environmental management and governance in Delhi. Air quality emergencies have continued to plague India as it assiduously works on SDGs. Recurring air quality emergencies, especially during festivals such as Diwali, indicate huge gaps in addressing this urgent challenge. It is the collective responsibility of the Centre and Delhi government, as well as of the community at large, to curb this air pollution.

Key contributors

Vehicular emissions, stubble burning, and bursting of firecrackers are some of the significant factors for the poor quality of air during festivals in Delhi. Government bans notwithstanding, fireworks are let off and in festivals like Diwali, a huge surge is seen in the levels of PM, which includes PM2.5 and PM10. As per the CPCB, all three locations—Anand Vihar, Ashok Vihar, and Rohini—have given a reading of over 400, thus 'severe'. The stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana during harvesting is no less contributor either. Once the harvesting season is over, they burn crop residues where large amounts of pollutants are emitted into the atmosphere. As this culture is deep-rooted among farmers of these states, stubble burning escalates the air pollution level in Delhi. Efforts by the Central government have also been made, for instance, giving incentives to the farmers to take up alternate practices vis-à-vis stubble burning, though such attempts have found only limited acceptance.

Another pollutant of the air in the city is vehicular emissions. The city has a very high population density and heavy traffic, both of which emit nitrogen oxides and particulate matter. In favour of cleaner fuels and stricter automobile emissions standards, the central government has proposed policies, but enforcement has been slow and adoption is still incomplete. Low wind speeds and temperature inversions also exacerbate the problem of pollution during the period of meteorological conditions during winter. These trap pollutants close to the ground and do not allow much dispersion to take place, which, in turn, means that pollutants remain for a longer period in the air. The peak of the festive season exacerbates the situation.

International success stories

Many cities around the world have fought air pollution and won. One of them is Beijing. Beijing is one of the megacities of China, and for years, it was infamous for its hazardous smog. Yet years of solid legislation, technological innovation, and public engagement have allowed the city to take outstanding strides against air pollution. Other measures proposed to reduce PM2.5 levels included slowing down heavy industries, increasing the quality of fuels and use of clean sources of energy, which reduced the level of PM2.5 from 2013 to 2017 to 35 per cent.

London has made several developments since the Great Smog of 1952; among these is the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ). In this zone, it charges vehicles that fail to meet very stringent emission standards. NO2 has declined by 36 per cent in the zone, says a report from the Mayor of London in 2020. Another example is Tokyo. In part, such steps undertaken have reduced PM2.5 and improved health outcomes, including stringent emissions standards set on automobiles, especially on diesel automobiles and an increasing number of electric and hybrid automobiles.

Remedial steps to be taken

Drawing some lessons from such global examples, Delhi can itself adopt a multi-pronged approach. Strengthening the efforts for the enforcement of regulations and bans is imperative. Conducting public awareness campaigns, with proper monitoring and strict penalties against those who defy, can also reduce the spikes that characterise pollution events such as those resulting from firecrackers. The central government and the administration in Delhi are likely to be more willing to work with Punjab and Haryana in adopting cleaner alternatives, such as mechanised straw management and crop residue conversion into biofuel. This will enable incentives for farmers to burn less stubble, and simultaneously reduce its contribution to pollution in Delhi. Though the Delhi Electric Vehicle Policy promotes electric cars by subsidising and giving incentives, the city has to invest more in the relevant infrastructure, especially charging stations, before it can practically make a smooth transition to cleaner forms of transportation. Better metro development and ensuring public transportation efficiency and accessibility may contribute to fewer private cars, therefore reducing emissions.

The paths forward

The Delhi air crisis is a multifaceted situation that needs immediate action. Monitoring and predicting air quality are necessary measures which have to be taken. Real-time data on air pollution empower the authority to take measures such as limiting vehicular movement or shutting down polluting industries temporarily during episodes of extreme quality. Finally, public participation and community engagement are essential steps in amplifying government policies. Improvement in the quality of air could be more broad-based if citizens are encouraged to green themselves by reducing car use and adopting clean energy. While the road to cleaner air is going to be hard, with such positive efforts by all stakeholders, Delhi can well look forward to cleaner air and better life quality.

The writer is the Founder, President of India Water Foundation—a think tank based in New Delhi. Views expressed are personal