Towards cleaner air in Delhi

Towards cleaner air in Delhi

Context:

The launch of an anti-pollution campaign by the Delhi administration.

Air pollution in Delhi:

• Air pollution is a huge concern in Delhi. The high amounts of emissions from vehicles along with polluting industries in the region and the annual agricultural stubble burning exercise contribute to the high pollution loads in the capital. The lack of wind worsens the pollutant concentration.
• Particulate matter concentration of PM2.5 and PM10 in Delhi exceeds national standards and the World Health Organization limits. Delhi needs a 65% reduction to meet the national standards for PM2.5.
• Delhi’s air also contains high doses of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide.
• The winter season only worsens the air pollution in Delhi as the Diwali fireworks blanket Delhi in a haze, compounding air pollution’s health risks, particularly to children, the elderly and those with underlying illnesses.

Impact of COVID 19 on Delhi’s air:

• The COVID-19 pandemic lockdown has had a positive impact on the city’s air.
• But with subsequent economic re-opening and with air pollution returning to pre-COVID levels, the Delhi administration has launched a major anti-pollution campaign.
• The anti-pollution campaign is focused on cutting the emissions from thermal plants and brick kilns in the National Capital Region and on chemical treatment of stubble instead of burning from nearby states.

Way forward:

Though the current measures being taken are commendable, Delhi’s long-term solution to air pollution should involve the following aspects:

Abating emissions from the transportation sector:

• Vehicles, including trucks and two-wheelers, contribute 20%-40% of the PM2.5 concentrations.
• Reducing emissions from the transportation sector alone could help reduce air pollution from all sources combined by one-quarter to one-third by 2025.
• Prior international experience in tackling vehicle emissions in cities such as Bangkok, Beijing, and Mexico City could provide valuable insights. The three-part action plan to abate emission from vehicles would comprise of the following aspects:

1. Ensuring emission control:
   • The first and foremost requirement would be to implement the national standards. There is an urgent need for stricter enforcement of emission controls and tougher penalties for non-compliance. All categories of vehicles including two-wheelers and three-wheelers should be in compliance with the set emission standards.
   • There is a need to ramp up inspection and maintenance of vehicles to cut emissions.
   • Emission testing of vehicles under Delhi’s pollution under control policy was only 25%.
2. Incentivize public transport:

• Need to reduce private vehicles on the road by strengthening public transport.
• Apart from the public bus service and the metro, Delhi should also consider expanding the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system.
• The Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems in Mexico City, Bogota, Istanbul, and Johannesburg have shown impressive results. The sizeable investment cost is more than offset by the benefits that such public transport offers.
• Delhi should ensure better designating of BRT lanes, improving the ticketing system and synchronising BRT with the Metro.
• The ‘odd-even’ number plate policy should reduce exemptions and allow a longer implementation period to ensure tangible results from this scheme.

3. Electric vehicles:

• There is a need to encourage the adoption of electric vehicles. Subsidies and investment will be needed to ensure the scalability of EVs to a meaningful scale.
• This could be in the form of purchase incentives, scrappage benefits on older vehicles, loans at favourable interest and a waiver of road taxes.
• The Delhi government’s three-year policy aims to make EVs account for a quarter of the new vehicles registered in the capital by 2024.

4. Addressing emission from other sources:

• The pollution abatement strategy should also involve the industrial and agricultural sectors.
• Delhi will be required to work in collaboration with the neighbouring states to address the pollution from industries and agriculture (stubble burning).
• Technical solutions need to be underpinned by coordination and transparency across Central, State, and local governments.

5. Participatory approach:
   • Citizen participation and the media are vital for better awareness on the issues of pollution and health. A participatory approach will make it easier for the administration to tackle the pollution issue.