At one level, it is natural for Delhi to receive optimum attention of policy-makers, judiciary, media, governmental authorities et al. Being the capital city of India, Delhi boasts of a concentration of people who collectively are responsible for governing the entire country. Therefore, all the fuss being made over air pollution in Delhi these past few days does make sense. But as a study by the World Health Organisation revealed, out of the world’s 20 worst polluted cities, 13 are Indian. In other words, tackling pollution ought to be a nation-wide exercise, not confined to the nation’s capital alone.
The highest court in the land and the Central Green Tribunal have ordered urgent steps to try and ensure that the quality of air in Delhi gets better. Some of the measures, admittedly, are controversial and require an early relook. But nonetheless most Delhiites are relieved that efforts are on to ensure that they no longer breathe poisonous air which is widely known to cause lung-related illnesses. Respiratory diseases are common in big cities.
Statistics of deaths caused by pollution may not be entirely reliable but from the empirical evidence in large public hospitals it is confirmed that bad air has become a big killer. Surprisingly, small children are subjected to nebulisers at an early stage to avoid the ill effects of bad air. Middle-aged and old people are advised to stay indoors till the sun is out in order for them to avoid the smog-laden air. Indeed, air purifiers, a new-fangled contraption unheard of till a few years ago, seem to have become a fixture in middle and upper income homes due to the rising threat to health from pollution.
Winter invariably further aggravates the problem of pollution as dust and smoke from industries and automobiles, construction sites and unclean roads mixes in the moist air to form a hazy film in the atmosphere. Despite the earlier court-ordered switch to CNG by the local public transport, including the State-run fleet of buses, the inordinate rise in the privately owned two- and four-wheeler vehicles has contributed immensely to the worsening of pollution in the winter months.
Air quality in some parts of the capital is dangerously above the acceptable, WHO-prescribed PM 2.5 levels, though no part is immune from the ill effects of pollution. Alarmed by the situation, the Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered a number of steps meant to stop the further degradation of the air quality. In a controversial decision, it ordered that the registration of all diesel cars above 2000 cc engine capacity be stopped in the National Capital Region which encompasses the adjoining towns of Gurgaon, Noida, Sonepat, etc.
Also, a virtual ban on the entry of goods trucks transiting through Delhi to the neighbouring states of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, UP, etc, was to be imposed from the new year. Besides, commercial vehicles entering the capital will now have to pay a special levy varying from Rs 1,400 to 2,600 depending on the capacity of the vehicle. Above all, entry of trucks registered before 2005 was to be banned. These measures, the court said, would be reviewed at the end of March next year. In the meantime, the Delhi Government has decided to experiment with the odd-even number vehicular movement on alternate days beginning the new year for fifteen days. A proposal to shut down schools for a fortnight was also being considered.
The above steps are an ad hoc response to the extremely polluted air due to the onset of winter. However, since the problem of bad air is neither confined to Delhi nor does it occur in winter alone, a holistic approach which tackles all polluters and pollutants is needed for a lasting solution. Poverty and pollution too have a close linkage but till poverty is removed, the fight against pollution ought not to be put off. Awareness is the key to the fight against pollution. Burning farm waste being a key polluter, it should be the responsibility of agriculture extension workers to ensure that the farm waste is put to productive uses.
A beginning has been made in this regard in some parts of Punjab. Citizen awareness, ultimately, is important in fighting pollution. Notably, it is just not the air quality that is bad. The water we drink is impure, the food we eat is adulterated, and now the air that we breathe is laden with too much particulate matter. Unless there is a concerted effort by every citizen, yes, the aam aadmi included, knee-jerk decisions being imposed on Delhi can only have a limited and temporary effect. Delhi alone does not deserve to breathe right. The entire country does. And, hopefully, each State government, at its level, will take the initiative to follow the lead of Delhi.
