Lethal air pollution in Delhi: Is this large-scale callous slow genocide policy?

By Bhaskar Anand

The Indian capital region surrounding Delhi has been ranked among the worst among cities globally in the air pollution air quality index (AQI). Generally, from January to September, the AQI is between 101 and 200 and may cause severe health risks to vulnerable residents.

However, every year in early November, the AQI (above 300) worsened to hazardous levels. On Nov. 4, the AQI in the capital region was recorded at over 400 and in some specific regions such as Sonia Vihar it was above 600 according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

In 2017, the Delhi government declared a public health smog emergency as the AQI was over 1,000. A number of local and global media as well as scientific reports described Delhi as a gas chamber.

To monitor air quality, the CPCB has 36 stations in the capital region. From real-time air quality monitoring data of the CPCB, it is evident that particulate matter of 2.5 and 10 micrometers (PM2.5, PM10) were potential pollutants posing a severe threat to residents.

The maximum exposure limit per day (24 hours) of PM2.5 in India is 60 micrograms per cubic meter of air (ug/m3), while that of PM10 is 100 ug/m3. Currently, in Delhi the observed exposure levels of PM2.5 and PM10 have reached 500 ug/m3 or close to it. These particulates are emitted from numerous sources and can be inhaled, causing serious health concerns.

The physical and chemical characteristics of PM differ by location, and common chemical compositions which may include nitrates, sulfates, ammonium, and also metals and biological residues.

The combustion of gasoline in engines and solid fuel for energy production, construction and industrial activities, and the erosion of pavement by road traffic are some of the primary sources of PM.

However, some are also formed in the atmosphere due to chemical reactions between various types of gaseous pollutants and water molecules.

The health concerns of inhalable particulate matter, due to short- and long-term exposure, mainly include respiratory and cardiovascular problems and my cause lung cancer as well. Additionally, this serious pollution issue may cause sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

In January 2018, the Indian Supreme Court handed down a ruling that the Union of India should take affirmative action by ordering the Environment Pollution Prevention and Control Authority (EPCA) to expeditiously ameliorate the extremely high pollution levels.

The authorities are nonetheless much more interested in “buck passing,” e.g., state to central and “gimmicks” such as limiting private car driving to certain “odd/even” days.

Last year, the Supreme Court ruled that state and central governments and enforcement authorities should enact zero stubble burning through incentive schemes to small and marginal farmers. The judges also ordered that minor pollution sources, e.g., garbage burning should be ceased within three weeks.

The intermittent November AQI spike since 2017 is not by chance. Most reports highlighted stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana, and vehicular emissions as the major sources whereas a few reported on the most important causal factor ― air stagnation.

Air stagnation results from a combination of meteorological factors concurring in November: decreasing temperatures, high?pressure, surface temperature inversions, and low speed winds. This may become a callous mega-scale slow genocide unless proper control measures are enacted and actually enforced.

The majority of the residents are lower socioeconomic passive victims of this unfolding catastrophic event. Unfortunately, based on historical realpolitik, no government would ever take action on controlling pollution, unless there are mass casualties (tombstone policy) as in the case of the great London smog event in December 1952.

Bhaskar Anand (abhaskar@hanyang.ac.kr) is a doctoral student at the department of civil and environmental engineering at Hanyang University.