Choked @999

Delhi is choking like never before with poor air quality. Experts tell SHALINI SAKSENA if and how this slow death can be tackled

Feeling lethargic, eyes burning and chest wheezing? Leave, drive away, go to safer climes. This is Delhi, the national capital of India which has turned highly toxic. The political establishment, the administration — both Central and State — knew it was coming. It happens every year and with increased ferocity but no steps are taken to deal with this recurrent hazard which takes away years from the lives of citizens.

We all know, Indian life is cheap so let it die a slow death, seems to be the norm of governance and that’s the way it will, unfortunately, stay in the absence of pro-active steps. The hard truth is the killing pollution levels can be curbed with systematic planning. But who cares? Not the Government definitely and not the citizens themselves either. The crop burning stubbles in the air can be buried with technology; the vehicular pollution can be easily curbed, the constant — and sometimes only money-spinning — construction can be halved and still the infrastructure can be built. But, these are just dreams, achievable but negated dreams.

So here we are, robbed of nothing less than our breath. The last week has been particularly hazardous as far as the air quality is concerned with PM 10 touching an all-time high of 999 and PM 2.5 of 698 on Wednesday, November 8, 2017.

Doctors say that such high levels of pollutants in the air means severe health hazards. It is raining particulate matter, says Dr KK Aggarwal, national president of Indian Medical Association. “Just like when it rains  heavily, people stay indoors and those out in the streets carry an umbrella, when PM is so high we need to stay indoors or wear proper masks when going out. Put air purifying plants like Aloe Vera, Ivy, Snake and Spider plants in homes and offices,” he advises.

Environmentalist BS Vohra, however, is dismal. “Citizens won’t ever breathe clean air. We should just get used to this. We have been seeing it happen for the last decade,” he says.

A major contributor to the situation is a combination of dust particles, crop burning that includes the airy conditions — hot air and moisture. “To just blame the burning of crops in Punjab, to say that rural cooking is a contributor or even a forest fire or rise in vehicles would be incorrect. If crop burning is causing Delhi to choke then take measures to ensure that such activity is prevented,” Vohra says, recommending what needs to be done on a war-footing. No rocket science this!

Curb the number of vehicles. Restrict it to one car per household. It more than one in the family needs a car, use public transport, he says. “Cars should be used for emergencies if one wants to save this city,” is Vohra’s obvious mantra. He recalls an Iraq moment in this regard.

 “There were reports that due to the burning of oil wells in Iraq, black clouds would hover over Delhi. But it was just a rumour. Similarly, there is no data to support the argument that crop burning and rural cooking mores are causing air pollution. This reasoning is given to shift the blame. And if there is truth in it, curb it — fine them heavily or give them technology and incentives to stop these activities,” Vohra opines.

And what we witnessed last week had little to do with cooking or space heating. Space heating hasn’t started yet. Delhi is experiencing temperatures of 25°-plus C. This is a mix of all the sources of pollution, coupled with meteorology, triggering some funky fog business!

Sources within the city limits are to be blamed for this, if anything, more than the outside sources. This is a home-grown problem — 20-plus million people living in 6400 km sq, 9-plus million vehicles, high waste generation, low waste management; diesel, petrol, gas, coal, biomass, and other fuels burnt daily; poor public transport — how can we blame climate change for this. It is a symptom of poor urban planning!

It is, indeed, true that the common man lacks awareness. If he needs a car, he will go and buy one, not even giving one thought to pollution.

If his children are at risk, so be it! No one is bothered about repercussions. The environment is not in our DNA, a cleaner one for our children not more so. “Measures, like increasing parking four-folds or charging Rs 50,000 as penalty if they go for construction, are only temporary measures,” Vohra points out.

“Then there is the cracker ban. If the Supreme Court had issued a ban, it should have been followed irrespective of religion. Ban is a ban and should be followed throughout the year, year after year. But trolling started. People are not aware of the harm this high level of particular matter is doing — how much damage it is doing to our lungs and heart. People are still roaming the streets without masks. Where is the pollution alarm system that sounds when the levels increase?” Vohra asks.

Again odd-even is a good solution but needs some permanence and not some week-long knee-jerk reaction. At least it will decongest the city and lesser cars would reduce air pollution to a certain extent.

Then there is the monitoring of Air Quality Index (AQI) as well. “Each monitoring body has its own system of measuring. The WHO sets the pollution norms — PM 2.5 at 20 — we set it at 60. Why are we doing this? We should have one standard and keep it at par with WHO,” Vohra says.

Anything that is happening naturally, even though it is man-made, can’t be helped and controlled. Air that is coming from outside can’t be stopped. What one can do is stop industrial pollution and restricts the number of cars and pollution from it.

Prarthana Borah, India director, Clean Air Asia, tells you that air pollution needs a long-term strategy. “Short-term measures are only emergency responses. Traffic is not the only reason for air pollution in Delhi. While odd-even could be one way to address pollution, a more systematic approach to monitor pollutants, identify key sources and figure out intervention measures are the need,” Borah says.

She thinks that banning just fireworks is no practical solution. An innovative alternative — like a firework that can produce light and sound, but not causes any pollution – could be an answer.

Borah says one challenge that organisations like her’s face in tackling the situation is the absence of a single point authority to drive decision making. “While the Central Pollution Control Board is responsible for air pollution, it is only a regulatory body. Second, intervention is a challenge because maintaining air quality is not a component of major programmes like smart city and Swachh Bharat, and often not even a part of mainstream policy making. Third is the task of generating public awareness. Since pollutants are not visible, people are not conscious about it as, say, water. Also, the community is not open about the relation of air to health. Air is still not a national issue. It is limited to a few cities like Delhi so people resort to solutions like ‘leaving Delhi’. Fourth, is the absence of data, inadequate capacity to regulate thousands of sources of pollution and a lack of human and technological infrastructure for monitoring and control,” Borah explains.

There have been several studies, for example, which attribute construction dust as a source of pollution. “Construction laws set up by National Green Tribunal and State Pollution Board are there. We know loose soil should be kept wet and covered under a green sheet; that construction work should be done in an enclosed area surrounded by wet cloth fencing to stop particulate matter from mixing into the atmosphere. But all this is grossly violated — with no punishment or penalty,” Borah points out.

But she is also quick to assert that it would be wrong to say that no concrete steps whatsoever have been taken. India’s environmental protection stand began early as 1972. Then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi addressed the first UN Conference on Human Environment held at Stockholm. This led to the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act of 1974, followed by a regulatory infrastructure. The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act followed in 1981. In fact, India is a rare country where the Judiciary has played a pivotal role in trying to protect the environment. Environmental pollution amounts to a violation of Article 21 (Right to Life) of the Constitution of India.

But in and around the nation’s Capital, all this lies on the polluted wayside even though there is CNG, diesel truck ban and introduction of BS VI norms. “We need to strictly enforce good air pollution regulation which is possible only with financial and human resources. Most of our plans to address air pollution are sporadic and a response to a crisis. We need strategy and direct technology interventions,” Borah rightly asserts.

Technologies to reduce pollution at its source are many, as are technologies that reduce pollution by filtering it away from the emission source. Applying these technologies requires the Government to implement policies that support such technology. Such policies could involve bans that would promote lead-free gasoline or asbestos-free vehicle brake linings or building materials; guidance on desirable technologies and financial mechanisms that make using more polluting technologies more expensive than using less polluting technologies subsidised.

Examples of technologies to reduce air pollution also include use of lead-free gasoline, which allows the use of catalytic converters on vehicles’ exhaust systems. For trucks, buses and an increasing number of smaller vehicles that use diesel fuel, improving the quality of the diesel is another way to reduce air pollution at the source.

More fuel-efficient vehicles like hybrid gas-electric vehicles, electric vehicles are another way forward. Policies that reduce motorised transport can also reduce air pollution in urban areas.

“Managing air pollution interventions involves monitoring air quality which again requires technology like the use of low cost sensors in the absence of large finances for setting up monitoring stations. Sophisticated modelling in combination with monitoring has made it possible to start producing detailed estimates and maps of air pollution levels that can be used to drive policy,” Borah says.

Only awareness and sensitivity to living conditions is required both at the self and the administrative levels. Till then, inhale and exhale poison!

Action plan

•  Plan and combine all your errands (in one area or close by areas) for one trip
• Limit driving. Go for carpooling
• Use public transport, as much as possible
•  If you have to use your vehicle, keep it well-maintained for efficient functioning with regular servicing to reduce harmful exhaust emissions and get pollution check done as required. Follow speed limits.
• Avoid buying diesel vehicles
•  Avoid burning candles, dhoop or incense sticks at home or workplace
• Plant more trees.
• Limit the areas of bare soil by growing grass to reduce the amount of dust
• Sprinkle water on the exposed soil to reduce the generation of dust
• Only wet mopping of floors at home and workplace
• Avoid organising or attending outdoor activities when AQI crosses 200
•  

What are respirators?

•  They protect by filtering particles out of the air as you breathe
•  Respirators that filter out at least 95% of airborne particles during worse case testing using a most-penetrating sized particle are given a 95 rating. Those that filter out at least 99% receive a 99 rating
•  Respirators are rated N, if they are Not resistant to oil, R if somewhat Resistant to oil, and P if strongly resistant (oil proof). The N-series respirators have a non-specific service life, and can be used as long as the mask is not damaged or hamper breathing