Editorial: Apocalyptic skyline

The post-Diwali toxic haze in India’s national capital should serve as a stark reminder to authorities of the failure of anti-pollution measures

After the Diwali sparkle comes the gloomy smog. In a repeat of what has now become a familiar sight, the national capital was enveloped by a toxic haze a day after crackers lit up the sky. For a city that has earned the dubious distinction of being the world’s worst-polluted national capital, the post-Diwali apocalyptic skyline must serve as a stark reminder to authorities of the failure of anti-pollution measures. This year’s Air Quality Index (AQI), post-Diwali, plummeted to a five-year low — crossing 400 in some locations. The AQI measures the level of PM 2.5 — fine particulate matter of 2.5 microns in diameter that can clog lungs and cause a host of diseases — in the air. Levels between 101 and 200 are considered moderate, while those between 201 and 300 are “poor”. Between 301 and 400 is categorised as “very poor”, and a figure higher than 400 is considered “severe”. The World Health Organisation’s guidelines state that exposure to PM 2.5 over 24 hours should be limited to 15 micrograms per cubic metre — but Delhi’s AQI in some parts is 24 times higher than the recommended level. Despite the Supreme Court’s stern directions to the authorities and repeated warnings by environmental experts, little has changed on the ground as Delhi’s air quality continues to be hazardous. The post-monsoon season, which lasts from October to December, delivers an annual pollution bomb to Delhi. For common citizens of the national capital, it is a life in a gas chamber.

The city’s pollution problem worsens in winter as farmers in neighbouring States of Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh burn crop stubble. Low wind speeds also trap pollutants, such as those produced by firecrackers, in the lower atmosphere, making it hard to breathe. What is alarming is that the air quality in the national capital region has worsened despite a sharp dip in stubble burning. Last week, the apex court relaxed the blanket ban, allowing people to use ‘green crackers’, which emit 20-30 per cent less pollutants than traditional ones and generate minimal ash. It must be pointed out that even these crackers release toxic substances into the air. Experts warn that permitting any type of firecrackers during unfavourable weather conditions and amid already poor air quality is simply not sustainable. Sufficient research data shows a direct link between air pollution and heart diseases and strokes, autoimmune disorders, as well as neurological problems. Across the country, an estimated 1.6 million people die due to air pollution every year. The suffocating weather conditions caused by the cumulative effect of dust-producing construction work, vehicular emissions, and stubble burning, along with slow wind movement, have, unfortunately, become an annual affair. The fact that one in every three children in Delhi is battling asthma or airflow obstruction due to air pollution should ring alarm bells in the government corridors.

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