It is well known that Delhi’s air pollution problem has developed over a few decades. Though in earlier times it was restricted to the winter season, it has now emerged as a serious year-round environment and public health challenge. 

In the late 90s and early 2000 the introduction of CNG did make a difference, however it was short lived as many other factors also got amalgamated in increasing the annual scourge. 

A Regional Catastrophe

The problem was earlier being addressed as a localised issue with particular reference to Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and such neighbouring townships. However, it soon emerged as a regional catastrophe engulfing the National Capital Region (NCR) as being part of a larger air space, extending into many other states along the Indo Gangetic plain. 

Primarily because of the following major reasons: -

      - Rapid urbanisation and uncontrolled heavy construction activity.

      - Industrial expansion.

      - Rapid and heavy increase in vehicular traffic and road dust.

      - Crop residue burning in neighbouring states.

      - Festive emissions especially Diwali.

      - Winter meteorological conditions which trap pollutants close to the ground due to very low wind speed

It is sad and frustrating to observe that for many years remedial measures are announced year on year, and we still remain at the starting point. We witness TV debates, read brilliant articles in the print media and road map announcements by government  officials, and each year we prove helpless and defeated

Vote Banks and Blame Game

       Vehicular Traffic - One of the means adopted to reduce traffic by the Delhi government some years ago was the odd/even system. It was an immense pleasure to see the limited number of vehicles on the road, with no traffic jams etc. However, this was shelved and never repeated by subsequent governments, probably not to annoy the 'vote bank'.

         Crop Residue Burning -  The blame game between states concerned and the central government is repeated each year, with no change accruing on the ground. We need to introduce economically viable alternatives and encourage the farmers to adopt mechanical means for productive use of straw and crop diversification incentives. The central government has to play a pivotal role in the process.

        Festive Emissions - The heavy and toxic gas emissions from the firecrackers enthusiastically burnt by the rejoicing Indian community is something to witness. Nobody, including the educated, fail to realise the resultant environmental degradation. The guardians of the nation want to seem impartial, permitting the use of green firecrackers within a specified timeframe, although being fully aware of the fact that monitoring and implementation is difficult, having experienced it year after year.

People with authority and responsibility for ensuring implementation of the laid down tasks should be held responsible for their failures, failing which we would suffer the flawed implementation at most of the levels in the chain.

An Airshed Policy

What needs to be understood is the fact that Delhi NCR cannot clean the air on its own. There has to be an action plan in conjunction with the neighbouring states. For which we need a central body, headed by the Union Environment Minister and senior state functionaries heading each state council. We should identify airsheds, formulate a unified airshed policy, addressing them at their origin, thus nipping the malady in the bud.

The policy has to aim at ensuring year-round reduction in not just PM 10 but PM 2.5 as well; the latter being more important and sensitive in nature. There is no harm in learning the methodology used by China when they successfully fought air pollution from 2013 to 2018.

(The author is a former GOC of an Indian Army corps in a high-altitude area. The views expressed are personal. He can be contacted at rajanbakhshi@gmail.com)