The Gas Chamber

There have been too many articles written about the pollution levels in Delhi. Much analysis has been done about the causes and the possible solutions. The purpose of this blog is to examine various possibilities and suggest some solutions.

The causes of extreme pollution in Delhi are well known. The following list is in no particular order and it may also not be completely exhaustive.

1. Stubble burning in the adjoining states of Punjab, Haryana, and UP
2. Small fires used for heating in winter using coal or wood
3. Fireworks 
4. Burning of leaves and other refuse in Delhi
5. Construction dust
6. Road dust
7. Vehicular pollution
8. Industrial pollution caused by factories and power plants
9. Domestic cooking using coal or wood

The first three are largely seasonal and start building up from around October. The confluence of cold weather and festivals around that time add to a lethal mix that chokes the citizens of Delhi during the period October - February. Winter rains bring a little respite in January but this period is the worst from a pollution point of view.

Finding solutions has not been easy. Here are some thoughts:

1. Stubble Burning: Very simply, farmers need to be persuaded to stop burning stubble. This has several angles. Paddy was harvested manually in the old days leaving only a short stubble that could be easily plowed in. With the introduction of mechanical harvesting the stubble length has increased and it is not easy to plow. The additional cost of plowing has become unviable given the low margins that farmers are getting these days. Clearly, this is a multidimensional problem. It also involves several states with different political dispensations. The Centre and the Delhi Govt will have to work together to propose a viable package comprising of incentives and penalties that are practical and enforceable to make this happen.
2. Small Fires: To be prohibited and strictly enforced by the Delhi Administration. 
3. Fireworks: Unfortunately the ban by the Supreme Court has taken on a political/religious hue. Clearly the citizens of Delhi cannot afford the luxury of unbridled use of fireworks as a method of celebration. In my view, the use of fireworks by private individuals and organisations should be prohibited (this includes weddings, festivals of all religions etc.) In lieu of this one may suggest public fireworks displays on Diwali and New Year.
4. Burning of leaves and refuse: To be prohibited and strictly enforced by the Delhi Administration. 
5. Construction Dust: This is a big contributor to pollution. Builders routinely flout all laws including dumping of building material so that it blocks the road. There is no attempt to restrict or eliminate dust. Again this needs strict enforcement by the Delhi Administration.
6. Road Dust - Vacuum cleaning by mechanical means is essential.
7. Vehicular Pollution.
   Clearly, Delhi can not afford to have more and more vehicles on its roads. The total cost of ownership of a vehicle has to go up dramatically. One time tax must be increased and so must parking charges. Illegal parking should result in heavy fines and confiscation of the vehicle. New registrations should be allowed only if the owner can provide proof that he has parking available.
   PUC certificates must be strictly enforced and fines should be enhanced for non compliance. There are already restrictions on usage of old vehicles and these must be enforced.
   The entry of trucks into Delhi is a sore point. After years of neglect the KMP expressway is still nowhere near completion. The railways have failed miserably in providing a cost effective and efficient alternative to long distance transport by road. All these issues need to be tackled on a war footing
   The Odd Even scheme is a good thing but only for short periods of time when pollution levels are peaking. This is an emergency measure.
8. Industrial pollution can be controlled by strict compliance. Again the Delhi Administration should take strict action.
9. Domestic Cooking using wood or coal: This is largely practiced by BPL families or slum dwellers. Free availability of kerosene at reasonable rates and small cylinders of LPG can help to curb the problem.

The other problem has been an objective metering and feedback on pollution levels. Here again the measurements have been coloured by politics. There is no single agency or reading that is available that everyone believes in.

If the Government is serious about curbing pollution in Delhi it should set up an empowered task force led by a Senior Bureaucrat which has representation from all agencies involved at State Level from Punjab, Haryana, UP and Delhi. The task force should have a mandate for at least a 5 year period and should report periodically to the Environment Minister Concerned at the Centre and the CMs of the States involved. Their reports should also be published in the press.

Unfortunately for us, we tend to focus on something only when there is a crisis. Public memory is short and once winter is over it is business as usual. We need a sustained drive to mitigate the curse of air pollution in Delhi.

No politics please.