D K Kotwal
Delhi figures in WHO list of 20 most populated cities with the dirtiest air. It is no longer safe to breathe in Delhi as it is one of the most populated cities of the world. The problem has steadily grown worse but it is a matter of extreme concern that nothing substantial has been done beyond stop gap arrangement like allowing cars with odd-even numbered plates to be used only on alternate days. The city’s high levels of fine particles -the most deadly because they penetrate deep in to lungs -have now soared off the charts, even by New Delhi’s standards, because of seasonal from burning of left over crops in the neighboring states of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan and from firecrackers set off to celebrate Diwali. The levels of smallest particles called PM 2.5 recently hit to astounding 688 micro grams per cubic meter of air in one New Delhi’s neighborhood, far surpassing the city’s average annual concentration of 153. Beijing’s average is 56 and New York’s is 14. The WHO sets the healthy annual limit of these particles at 10 micrograms per cubic meter.
Delhi’s worst smog in 17 years led to the closure of schools and resulted in an estimated 4.41 million children missing classes for three days. “The record high air pollution in New Delhi is a wake-up call for world that unless decisive actions are taken to reduce air pollution, the smog in India’s capital and its adverse impact on the daily lives of its citizens will become a commonplace phenomenon”, the United Nations children’s agency has said. With every breath the children in Delhi are suffering. Air pollution levels in other Indian cities such as Varanasi and Lucknow have been equally extreme in recent days. And over the past year, air pollution levels in London, Beijing, Mexico city, Los Angles and Manila have exceeded international guidelines by considerable margins.
A new study on air pollution in Delhi by a team of researchers led by the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom has found the city suffers from a toxic blend of geography, growth, poor energy sources and unfavorable weather that boosts it dangerously to high levels of air pollution. The study also recommends all-round solution instead of just focusing on vehicular pollution. One of team members was also a professor from IIT Delhi. The team searched how Delhi’s growing population combines to elevate concentrations of air pollutants, including ultra-fine particles, the most harmful to human health.”Air pollution has been placed among the top 10 health risks faced by human beings globally. Delhi has the dubious accolades of being regularly cited as the most populated city in the world, with the air pollution causing thousands of excess deaths in a year in this mega city”, said Doctor Prashant Kumar of the University of Surrey. “While it may be easy to blame this on increased use of vehicles, industrial production or a growing population, the truth is that Delhi is a toxic, pollutant punch bowl with myried ingredients, all of which need addressing in the round”, said kumar. Delhi’s population is 25.8 million and is the fifth mega city of the world and it is predicted that the number of road vehicles would increase from 4.7 million in 2010 nearly 26million by 2030. The total energy consumption in Delhi has risen 57% from 2001 to 2011, said researchers. According to report, as a landlocked mega city, Delhi has limited avenues for flushing polluted air out of the city.”Coastal mega city is such as Mumbai have at least a chance to replace polluted air with relatively unpolluted sea breezes where as Delhi’s surrounding regions are sometimes even more polluted than the city, ” said a statement from the University of Surrey.
The picture of Delhi’s pollution is complicated and is aggravated by some factors that are beyond human control. However, in this growing city it is important that the population is protected in whatever ways that can be from health endangering pollutants. There is also a cultural context, even the best technology will not succeed in reducing emissions and improving air quality if it is not considered in a broader framework of economic development.
Why Delhi is pollution hotspot in winter? New study finds tiny particles blowing from Pak, Punjab, Haryana on one side and UP, Bihar on other-making it more prone to pollution. The study found that in winter 46% of particulate matter 2.5(pm 2.5) – tiny toxic dust particles – blow into the capital from Northern part of India and Pakistan and 30% from UP, Bihar and Uttrakand. Both sets meet in and around Delhi making the region a hotspot for particulate matter pollution, the scientists said. Researchers have conducted the study in national physical laboratory which is India’s measurement standards laboratory. The study found that 72% of Delhi’s wind in winter comes from the North western parts of India and Pakistan, while the remaining 28% comes from the Indo-Gangetic plains. The wind pattern in winters, summers and monsoons are different so is the way pm 2.5 travels. It is significant to mention here that adjoining areas of Delhi are the industrial hubs, construction and agricultural zones therefore these activities probably result in the inflow of a mixture of coarse and the fine continental pollutants. In such a situation to control the pollution in the city of Delhi it is necessary that a master plan has to be drawn in collaboration with that adjoining states and an agreement will have to be struck with Pakistan so that the pollutants coming from these areas are ceased otherwise only if we address this problem locally involving only Delhi city, it will be an exercise but of no utility. It is the responsibility of the Delhi and Central Governments to bring their heads together and devise some result oriented plan to eradicate the pollution problem. The air cannot be checked from moving one state to another and from one country to another therefore it is but inevitable to enter into some meaningful and gainful agreement with Pakistan so that the pollutants that crossover the borders and enters into India are to be addressed in Pakistan itself. It is a joint mission between India and Pakistan to tackle the pollution problem of the two countries.
“The record high air pollution in New Delhi is a wake-up call for world that unless decisive actions are taken to reduce air pollution, the smog in India’s capital and its adverse impact on the daily lives of its citizens will become a common place phenomenon the United Nations Children agency has said”. With every breathe the children in Delhi are suffering. Air pollution moves across borders both national and sub-national levels so we will need coherent government policies to address these trans boundary risks. At a global level we need better monitoring of air pollution when a child, a mother, a father or care giver know how bad the air is on a real time bases, they can begin to take actions to reduce exposure. Pregnant mothers and others who are at high risk, should do their best to avoid areas where pollution is at its highest level.
To tackle this problem the Delhi administration has to take concrete steps with the help of Central Government at the earliest but it is unfortunate that the two Governments are always at logger heads with each other and don’t enjoy close proximity and cosy relations that are absolutely harmful for a democratic country and can do irreparable loss to the nation in general and especially to Delhi inhabitants, therefore, it is need of the time for the both to mend their fences and come together to solve this knotty problem. In the present era , the executive pillar of democracy has become redundant , indecisive and incapable of taking important decisions for the welfare and development of the nation and judiciary is calling the shots in its place in the running of the nation affairs. The Delhi Government has purposed and even implemented for some days the odd / even rules for cars, to reduce congestion as well as pollution resulting from vehicular emissions. The top court has asked the Delhi Government to provide masks to Police who stand for long hours at traffic signals, so that their health is not deteriorated. The Supreme Court also has barred the registration of Luxury Suvs and diesel cars above 2000 cc in the capital. The green cess on a commercial vehicles entering Delhi has been hiked by the court by whopping 100%.The apex court has also asked for the conversation of vehicles to CNG. NGT has asked the authorities not to buy diesel vehicles for official use and has put ban on burning of waste. The solution for seasonal smoke are obvious: for crackers should be banned and bans are enforced. The farmers who are not in position to replant without burning the crops stubble be helped out. The Government know offers to pay some farmers half the cost, but the remaining burden is too great for most to bear, subsidies and incentives need to be expanded. All these steps even if taken are but inadequate and without any further procrastination and loss of time the problem needs to be solved even at the transborder level. Delhi Chief Minister instead of getting himself involved in petty politics and blame game must gird up his lions and devise a comprehensive result oriented plan with the proximity of Central Government to combat this difficult situation. People who afford air purifiers and masks are making use of them but what about the poor and marginalized sections of the society?
There is also a wake -up call for our state -J and K authorities to wake from deep slumber and take some tangible measures to address the pollution problem of Jammu city also. As it figures at number 13 in the list of 20 most polluted cities of the world.
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