India’s pollution problem is deep seated and complex. An excessive number of private automobiles plying the roads, residue crop burning in the northern states, setting garbage alight and landfills as well as industries that brazenly flout environmental norms have led to air pollution rising to dangerous levels. Without careful planning and impeccable execution on all these fronts, progressing towards a cleaner India is impossible. Anup, a resident of Gurugram talks to Aksheev Thakur.
Environment Minister Dr Harsha Vardhan says air pollution is harmful but not a killer. What should we make of it?
I think the statement from the Minister is incorrect - he should revisit the data and consult the medical fraternity. It is true that people in Delhi/NCR and other parts of Northern India are affected by air pollution (both outdoor and indoor) and the recent Lancet report and advisory from IMA to Delhi Govt reinforce the effect on human health. People have lost their lives and this is because of continued exposure to poor air quality. One may not see people dropping dead on the roads, but several of them get admitted to the hospitals and a percentage of that don't return home.
Is the government being subservient to automobile industry? Will imposing exorbitant taxes on families who own more than one car bring down vehicular congestion?
Poor quality public transport (unreliable, unsafe, connectivity, no-feeder rotes) has resulted in people switching to personal modes of transport in Delhi/NCR. Gurgaon, which is a relatively new city is a perfect example of how the absence of public transport has resulted in people buying personal vehicles (cars, two wheelers). A good public transport will automatically reduce vehicular congestion on roads.
Recently, citizens went against the apex court's decision to ban the sale of fire crackers?
The peak load of Diwali was managed due to the ban on the sale of crackers. However, a Graded Response Action plan should have kicked in earlier and checks on stubble burning should have been done in advance. Last week's episode of pollution crossed /might have been very close to the post-Diwali peak of 2016.
NGT had called the odd-even scheme a farce but it did improve the air quality to an extent. What are your views?
If one goes goes by GRAP, this should have been done a week ago. It is no rocket science to predict peak pollution days with relation to weather and emissions. We have fairly well developed models and there are a range of websites which give decent information. Let me talk about the positive aspects of this scheme: the roads have fewer vehicles and traffic flow is generally better. This may have a micro-level impact in certain areas of the city where traffic congestion is huge. However, overall quality may not improve significantly due to this effort. Another point I need to make here is that that road dust is a major issue on urban roads. With every vehicle plying on the road, the dust accumulated on the streets becomes suspended and takes a while to settle down.
The flip side is it takes a massive effort to reach any place in Delhi without a reliable public transportation system. The metro is crowded everyday. I must say that the government doesn't have a plan to execute this scheme effectively, other than holding to number plates.
Industries brazenly flout pollution norms. Why can't the government ensure that industries fall in line?
Industry and government operated thermal power plants require a significant upgradation of technology and monitoring. Burning garbage in landfills is another travesty that cannot and should not continue year after year. The burning landfills should not carry on year after year. Another major contributor to the already rising pollution is generators that run across the city.
Is there a need to revamp the pollution board so strict monitoring can take place?
These folks are small in number and their effectiveness in terms of monitoring is fine (they can put more additional stations etc), but honestly the institution requires more power to deal with violations. It also needs to set up a cell which looks at specifically at typical urban pollution issues.
Delhi's air suffers from garbage burning too. How can the waste disposal mechanism be improved in the national capital?
This is another problem which is known but has not been addressed. Current waste management practices have a stream of loose ends and the cheapest way to deal with it is to set it all alight with a matchstick which probably costs 25paise, versus a system that sets authorities back by several crores. I must say that private societies and RWAs have started to deal with organic waste and this should be encouraged by the Govt. Decentralizing this is important rather than creating mountain of landfills, for which there is anyway no land at the moment.
How far do masks provide respite from severe air pollution level?
The difference is action by the Government. The problem can be tackled through implementation of GRAP (for peak season) and undertaking a series of measures in Delhi/NCR across various sectors and across the region (Punjab, Haryana, UP).
What is the major difference between the way Beijing is trying to control air pollution and the measures India is taking?
The difference is action by the Government. The problem can be tackled through implementation of GRAP (for peak season) and undertaking a series of measures in Delhi/NCR across various sectors and across the region (Punjab, Haryana, UP).
