The capital city of India has always braced for a severe bout of pollution.
Delhi’s particulate emissions have a main source coming from particles from large power plants and refineries, vehicles, and stubble burning.
Delhi's air quality remained in the "very poor" category in October, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 352. An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'. High levels of air pollution in Delhi is a year-round problem, which can be attributed to unfavorable meteorological conditions, farm fires in neighboring regions and local sources of pollution.
Delhi’s toxic haze far exceeds national and World Health Organization (WHO) limits and is a deadly health risk to the residents, particularly children, the elderly, and the ill. The city air has recorded high quantities of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and carbon monoxide, putting people at higher risk of strokes, heart attacks, and high blood pressure, and worsening the respiratory complications from COVID-19.
By 2030, Delhi is projected to be the world’s most populous city. Facing a growing environmental and health calamity, antipollution efforts are being strengthened. But to succeed, the different levels of government must harness the political will to invest more, coordinate across boundaries, and motivate businesses and residents to do their bit.
Many environmentalists are of the view that there is no dearth of policies; the problem lies in the lack of their implementation. Most of the policies are either poorly implemented or not implemented at all. The surveillance system is mostly non-existent. Hence, violations go unchecked.
Dust pollution is one of the major problems due to which Delhi chokes every year. Small streets are still full of dust, despite government’s claim of being strict on dust management. The mechanical sweeping is limited only to the main roads. The open sewage on the streets mixes with the loose dust and turns into sludge.
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Although the government claims that dirty fuel and coal has been completely banned in Delhi, senior environmentalists differ. They claim that in Delhi, industries are not limited to industrial areas. The industries are spread in the municipal areas as well. In the municipal areas, dirty fuel and coal are still used
Waste segregation to separate biodegradable and non-biodegradable wastes is still a non-starter in Delhi. Composting biodegradable waste can be a viable alternative to burning it. Even dust pollution can be controlled by implementing composting. A regular audit of waste management is necessary, but this has not been done so far by any of the agencies
The experiences of Bangkok, Beijing, and Singapore suggest that an ambitious but feasible goal is to cut air pollution by one-third by 2025, which, if sustained, could extend people’s lives by two to three years. The current effort is designed to confront all three sources, but strong implementation is needed.
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