BY APURVA RAI
DELHI has emerged as one of the most polluted cities in the world, particularly concerning quality of air. A World Health Organisation report in 2014 said that 13 of the world's 20 most polluted cities were in India, with New Delhi being worst among them.A glance through Air Quality Index indicates that those living in the national capital should avoid moving out in open. Shameful, isn't it for any city!
Still, how long can one stay indoors! Whether you are a student, a worker, a businessperson or a housewife at times it becomes imperative to move out. Nobody can afford to stay behind the doors for a long time as neither the human temperament allows it nor the circumstances permit.
A SAFAR (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research) study earlier this year showed that the rise in the number of vehicles has led to emissions from the transport sector growing by more than 30% between 2010 and 2014, accompanied by a marginal increase of around 5% due to rise in traffic density in terms of dust.
Experts warn outdoor exposure can lead to severe health issues. Breathlessness, asthama, harm to lungs, heart and digestive systems are many factors that affect people irrespective of their age. Traffic policemen wearing masks at different crossings is a common sight in the national capital. Not only this one can also see small children going to schools and others going to workplaces wearing masks to prevent inhaling toxic air.
The air pollution has recorded a sharp increase forcing the Delhi government to take some harsh decisions to check the deteriorating air quality and frequent smog that engulfs the city and the adjoining National Capital Region (NCR).
BEATING ODD-EVEN FORMULA
Fighting pollution has become one of the most challenging problems for the Delhi government. One method adopted by the government is allowing private four-wheelers on alternate days according to the vehicle registration number. This means that vehicles bearing an even number will run on even days and vehicles with odd number will run only on odd days.
The odd-even formula is the hottest topic of discussion and most people living in Delhi and NCR are either busy finding methods to prove odd-even formula defunct. Does it not sound funny that those living in one of the most polluted cities are discussing car numbers rather than methods to improve the quality of air in their city. Instead, they are busy finding methods that their driving continues uninterrupted irrespective of the day whether it is odd or even. People are heard saying with pride that they possess two cars-- one with odd number plate and another with even number plate.
While the government has resorted to giving all publicity to the odd-even driving formula it has not even once come out with other methods to fight air pollution in Delhi. The silence of Delhi government over methods to increase green cover, check mindless construction activity and addressing the problem of waste management is very loud and clear. What one is made to understand is that passenger cars are the biggest culprit and are doing nothing but polluting the city's air.
I feel pity for poor cars!
LOST FOCUS
The efforts of the Delhi government to check rising air pollution suffers major setback when other factors like smoke belching public and commercial vehicles, illegal factories, massive solid waste on the roads, burning of bio-wastes, out-dated thermal power plants, open sewage drains and diesel generators are not addressed in right ernest.
Go around the markets and industrial belts during power cuts and it wouldn't be difficult to find diesel generators polluting the air with their thick black smoke besides making best contribution to noise pollution as well. But who cares. You will be challaned in Delhi only if you are travelling in a car with odd number on even date.
To beat the odd-even formula a large number of people have purchased more cars. And yes, there is no penalty for that. One can go on buying any number of cars without any check as long as there is money in pocket. This means that the number of cars in Delhi will definitely go up manifold soon which in turn will have its adverse effect on quality of air in the national capital. Thus all efforts of the government to reduce the number of cars on Delhi roads will soon have a contradictory effect in near future.
Certainly your prosperity becomes a problem for me. But who listens and who cares! The govenment is alright as long as people are driving with even number cars on even days and so on.
TREE PLANTATION IGNORED
It is a common sense that air pollution can be best tackled with vast green cover. Surprisingly the Delhi government never thought of it and has not presented any roadmap how to increase green belts and green areas in the city. Nobody cares even if encroachments are made on vacant lands and commercial activities flourish there. Large chunks of vacant lands and public parks in Delhi are used by small- time vendors to earn their livelihood.
Has anybody thought of planting trees or making huge nurseries on such vacant lands? One needs to understand that trees too give large business but you need to commercialise plantation activity for this. The government needs to form green areas and develop them as tourist attractions. This will have double benefit-- it will yield good profits beside cleaning the quality of air.
CHECK CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY
The government has largely turned a blind eye on mindless construction activity within city limits and NCR areas. Any decent apartment within municipal limits of the national capital costs anything above half-a-crore rupees. How many people can afford to buy these houses and who are the ones buying them? Or how many of the needy persons are buying these flats or can afford to buy one? Has the government ever checked this!
A lot of black money is pumped in buying flats after flats either in Delhi or NCR because there is no restriction on buying private builder houses. Splurge because nobody will ask you questions and also because construction activity is not listed as major contributor to polluting air in Delhi.
It is time time to recall that presence of fine dust in Delhi's air is the result of massive construction activity. It has now been established that Delhi is not a good place for those suffering from asthama or other lung diseases. But Delhi is certainly a good place to invest money in apartments no matter whether you need it or or not.
Construction activity will come down if houses are purchased by and constructed for the needy only. Once this happens the pollution level will see a significant drop automatically.
However, the odd-even formula has been implemented in Delhi and its results are keenly awaited. Whatever the outcome, it is certainly a good beginning as it shows the sincerity of the administration to check rising air pollution. My Second Opinion is that it would have been much better if the government had come up with a bunch of measures rather than putting aam admi to self-imposed inconvenience.
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NOTE
Also read other my other pieces:
Copy/ Paste the given links to reads these Blogs.
https://apurvaopinion.blogspot.com/2020/02/becoming-kejriwal.html
2) हवा ही है ज़हरीली (2019)
http://apurvarai.blogspot.com/2019/12/blog-post.html
3) अब दिल्ली महानगरपाविका चुनाव (2017)
http://apurvarai.blogspot.com/2017/04/blog-post.html
4) Monsoon and Delhi Roads (2017)
https://apurvaopinion.blogspot.com/2017/07/monsoon-and-delhi-roads.html
5) Delhi Fights Pollution: Odds Come
Again (2016)
https://apurvaopinion.blogspot.com/2016/04/delhi-fights-pollution-odds-come-again.html
6) Delhi Pollution- Check 'Green
Agenda' of Builders (2015)
https://apurvaopinion.blogspot.com/2015/07/delhi-pollution-time-to-check-green.html
7) Delhi Pollution: Mindless Driving
Major Concern (2015)
https://apurvaopinion.blogspot.com/2015/07/mindless-driving-polluting-delhi.html
8) मैं और मेरी दिल्ली (2011)
http://apurvarai.blogspot.com/2011/11/blog-post.html
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