Day 27 – Q. 1. With cities like Delhi turning into seasonal “gas chambers,” urban air pollution in India has become a chronic public health and governance crisis. Discuss. (150 words, 10 marks)

Q. 1. With cities like Delhi turning into seasonal “gas chambers,” urban air pollution in India has become a chronic public health and governance crisis. Discuss. (150 words, 10 marks)

Introduction 

According to WHO (2023), 39 of the world’s 50 most polluted cities are in India. As per CPCB, 131  Indian cities exceed national air quality standards. Urban smog, particularly in Delhi, reflects a  chronic governance and public health crisis.  

Body 

Why Cities Like Delhi Are Turning into “Gas Chambers” 

1. Crop Residue Burning: Satellite data shows stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana contributes up to 40% of Delhi’s PM2.5 levels in winter.  
2. Meteorological Trapping: Winter temperature inversion and low wind speeds trap  pollutants, preventing their dispersion and leading to choking smog.  
3. Vehicular Emissions: Delhi has over 1.2 crore registered vehicles—a major source of NOx,  PM, and ozone precursors, especially from diesel engines.  
4. Dust and Construction: Unregulated construction, road dust, and open dumping generate  high coarse PM10 levels year-round, compounding seasonal spikes.  

Health Impacts of Urban Air Pollution 

1. Public Health Emergency: As per the Lancet (2020), air pollution contributed to 1.67  million deaths in India in 2019 alone.  
2. Respiratory Illnesses: Surge in asthma, bronchitis, lung cancer, and reduced lung  function—especially among children and the elderly.  
3. Cognitive and Maternal Risks: Studies show links to cognitive decline, low birth weight,  and premature deliveries.  
4. Economic Costs: The World Bank estimates air pollution cost India ~8.5% of GDP through  health burden and lost productivity.  

Why It Has Become a Governance Crisis 

1. Fragmented Jurisdiction: Overlapping responsibilities between Centre, State, ULBs, and  pollution control boards lead to policy paralysis.  Example: Delhi’s Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) is often poorly coordinated  across NCR.

2. Seasonal Politicisation: Air pollution is treated as a winter issue, with blame-shifting  over stubble burning, ignoring systemic year-round sources like vehicular and industrial  pollution.  
3. Weak Enforcement: Despite the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, compliance is poor. Polluters often go unpunished due to weak regulatory capacity. 
4. Lack of Data Transparency: Real-time air quality monitoring is patchy. Many cities lack  continuous air monitoring stations.  
5. Inadequate Urban Planning: Dense construction, shrinking green spaces, and high  vehicular dependency worsen urban air quality.  Example: The IIT Kanpur study on Delhi’s pollution found secondary particles and  vehicular exhaust as top contributors.

Steps Taken So Far 

1. Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM): Established in 2020 to coordinate air  quality management in the NCR region. However, its impact remains limited by  jurisdictional challenges.  
2. Faster Adoption of Clean Fuels: India leapfrogged to BS-VI fuel in 2020. Promotion of EVs  through FAME schemes is ongoing.  
3. National Clean Air Programme (NCAP): Launched in 2019 with a target of 40% PM  reduction in 131 cities by 2026. However, progress is uneven.  
4. Technological Interventions: Use of smog towers, bio-decomposer sprays, and SAFAR (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research) for real-time forecasting  and public awareness. 

Measures to Address the Crisis Holistically 

1. Legal Accountability: Make clean air a legally enforceable right under the Air Act, with  penalties for non-compliance by agencies and polluters.  
2. Air-Shed Management: Move from city-centric to regional pollution control, with cross state coordination (especially in Indo-Gangetic plain).  
3. Sustainable Urban Mobility: Invest in mass public transport, cycle lanes, walkability, and  disincentives for private car use.  
4. Decentralised Monitoring and Citizen Science: Promote community-owned AQI sensors and real-time pollution data for greater transparency.  
5. Green Urban Design: Mandate green building codes, vertical gardens, and urban forestry  in all smart city and AMRUT plans.  
6. Adopt Global Best Practices: Emulate cities like London (ULEZ congestion pricing), Beijing  (industrial relocation), and Seoul (eco-zone transformation) to design context-sensitive  Indian solutions.  

Conclusion 

With air pollution costing ~8.5% of India’s GDP (World Bank), inaction threatens both health and  economic stability. Urgent, coordinated, and sustained efforts are essential to secure urban  futures and national development.