Delhi’s intractable pollution problem

Kamal Baruah

(A freelance writer based in Guwahati, Kamal Baruah is a former Air-warrior with the IAF and currently working for SBI. He can be reached at email: kamal.baruah@yahoo.com)

The sky over Delhi, the world’s most polluted capital city, was hazy. I couldn’t remember the last time I saw a starry night in the country’s capital. One might ask — since I’m not an astronomer, why should I care if I can’t see the stars? After all, where I grew up, we relied on the natural cycle of light and darkness; electricity came much later.

After Diwali, with vast quantities of fireworks blown up, the air in Delhi takes a turn for the worse and pollution spikes rapidly. Despite the talk about ‘green’ fireworks, it has had little effect on the ground so far. There has been a four-fold increase in vehicles on the roads of Delhi-NCR region in the last 15 years. The emission from motor vehicles is the prime cause of poor air quality. There are millions of old vehicles plying and often emit more polluting gases than current norms. The pollution check is mere eyewash as they only collect fees. Then there is the dust and oil from industrial activities which have turned the capital city into a gas chamber. The quality of air is so poor that breathing is equivalent to smoking a few cigarettes daily but everyone is passing the buck to farmers of neighbouring Punjab and Haryana. Delhi’s smog is blamed on burning stubble in the crop-fields but farmers have little choice. Stubble burning affects the city for a limited number of days. Despite a ban by the Pollution Control Board and Delhi Government, farmers prefer stubble burning as it is cheaper; they would rather pay the penalty than weed out the stubbles before sowing a new crop.

There is a need to look at the bigger culprits. Transport and industry remain the biggest sources of pollutants such as PM 2.5, PM 10, CO, NOx, SO2 etc. Prof M.S. Swaminathan, the father of green revolution in India, has objected to people blaming farmers for smog and high level of pollution in Delhi. “Instead of blaming them, the governments in North India should work with farmers to set up rice bio-parks, where farmers can convert stubble into income and employment. We should stop blaming farmers since it’ll take us nowhere. Instead, we should propose methods which are economically and ecologically desirable,” he says. Dr. Swaminathan has asked the Northern states to take a cue from farmers in the South, where they don’t resort to burning stubble but convert it to use as animal feed. The residue and stubble are an important source of organic matter for the soil. Stubble burning also results in emission of harmful gases such as carbon monoxide, N2O, NO2, SO2, CH4 along with PM (particulate matter) and hydrocarbons.

World Health Organisation (WHO) data shows Indian cities figure prominently among the 20 most-polluted cities globally in terms of PM 2.5 levels. The particles of 2.5 microns or less in diameter are the smallest and most dangerous in terms of airborne pollution. Fine particulate matter is an air pollutant that poses danger for people’s health when levels in air are high. By way of comparison, a human hair is about 100 microns. The fine particles less than 2.5 microns in diameter and coarse particles up to 10 microns in diameter can enter our lungs, bloodstream and even the heart. Larger particles tend to be trapped in the nose, mouth or throat. Particles can irritate eyes, nose and throat. The elderly and small children are especially at risk. Indoor air filters and N95 masks can reduce exposure. Particulate matter in the air can bring down visibility and cause the air to appear hazy when levels are elevated. Schools in the capital have to be shut down for a week in November. Poor visibility leads to flight cancellations, diversions and delays during winter.

Globally, the health implications of air pollution are profound. Many metros such as London, Mumbai and Beijing are extremely polluted and cause many hazardous diseases. Everyone is getting affected, especially infants and elderly people. It has caused millions of deaths, is being linked to diabetes cases, and is known to impair cognitive ability. China has built the world’s biggest air purifier tower in Xian in Shaanxi province that is performing smog-cleansing function effectively, covering an area around 10 sq km. Xian experiences heavy pollution in winter for its heating system relying on coal. Giant towers are also proposed in Delhi to clean toxic smog. Satellite imagery has shown vast swathes of smog over the northern plains.

Delhi has been fighting air pollution since last two decades. The conversion of vehicles like city buses, auto-rickshaws and taxis to CNG was its first important measure to contain pollution. The government implemented emission norms BS-IV standards and raised it thereafter to BS-V and BS-VI. The Odd-Even measure to regulate vehicles has failed. The real time data analysis has begun as Smart City concept for identifying pollution hotspots inside the city. Despite banning of diesel generator sets and shutting down Badarpur thermal power plant, ironically Gurugram and other towns of Haryana have to depend on generators for supply of water. This has hampered Delhi’s time-bound initiative. Delhites must therefore cooperate with the government in clean air programme to reduce air pollution.

Every citizen can do his or her little bit to fight pollution. Oxygen plants can clean the air at home. Aloevera plants function as air purifier by absorbing carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, besides having lot of medicinal value. Areca Palm can be grown in indirect sunlight, working as humidifier and having the capacity to filter xylene and toluene from the air easily. Ficus does not require much sunlight, produces more oxygen and is easy to maintain. Ivy plant is excellent to remove airborne feces particles and toxins. One Spider plant is enough in a room, filtering out gasoline, carbon monoxide and toxins like formaldehyde. Snake plant produces oxygen even in night photosynthesis. Holy Basil (Tulsi) is an excellent air purifier with high medicinal value. Why shouldn’t we contribute to make our environment better?

A time-bound initiative is required to address air pollution. Should India follow the Japanese way of changing old cars to avoid heavy taxes, besides minimising pollution too. Electric mobility is the future for the world. We ourselves can minimise air pollution not by blaming farmers, who are nation builders. Agriculture scientists should come up with ideas to sort out these issues as the practice of stubble burning is still widespread across the country. Many historians believe the Indus valley civilisation collapsed because of changes in the geography and climate of the area. If this trend continues, our planet may one day turn inhospitable for humans. Should we then take a new look at searching for life beyond Earth?