12
2008
This Diwali, the Indian festival of lights, as it is commonly called, many schools in Delhi sent out circulars urging parents not to burst firecrackers, something that is a big part of the celebration on this day. It was, however, with good reason.
Delhi ranks as one of the world's most polluted cities, with vehicular emissions accounting for 70 percent of the city's air pollution, and with some 1,000 cars being added to its roads daily - a third of which run on diesel - the situation will only get worse.
To be fair to the government, efforts have been made in the past and they have worked well. For instance, the switching of all public transport from diesel fuel to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) in 2001 and phasing out of old leaded-fuel burning vehicles did lead to a dramatic fall in pollution levels. The program was applauded by many nations and back in 2003 it even won a U.S. Department of Energy's 'Clean Cities International Partner of the Year' award.
That, however, was then. A study recently revealed, much to the dismay and surprise of the city, that pollution levels in Delhi are back to the pre-CNG days. The gains of CNG have been offset, unfortunately, by the invasion of diesel run vehicles, the fumes from which are seven times more toxic than those from petrol. That apart, the problem is also the sheer number of cars - diesel or otherwise - clogging the city's roads.
India's economic boom has created a well-off middle class where more and more people, with their rising salaries and standards of living, have been able to afford cars. The auto industry has, needless to say, egged on this demand by producing different varieties of cars, from the cheapest to the high end ones, which can be bought with easy financing. It is hard to imagine what will happen once the much-awaited Nano car - the world's cheapest at about $2500 - will hit Delhi roads. This is the dirty side of the India growth story and needs to be immediately looked into says the The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).
Last year Delhi's Chief Minister Sheila Dixit, called for a pollution-free Delhi by 2010, which is when the city will host the Commomwealth Games. To accomplish this goal even light commercial vehicles will be converted from diesel to CNG. But, with recent shortage of CNG - which created hours-long lines for refueling - the government has come under fire for not thinking ahead. And the shortages raised the obvious question: if more buses are converted to the green fuel, would the supply be able to keep up? The government says that is looking into solving that problem too.
Another step by the Delhi government was a proposed ban on diesel cars entirely, but that, unfortunately, was rejected by the central government, which stated that there is a need for tougher emission standards rather than blanket bans.
But, until the city is cleaned up again, Delhites will have to brace for a tough winter ahead. It's not going to be fun. Smog and the cool dry weather cause all sorts of havoc: children cough and sneeze, hospitals witness increased cases of breathing ailments, chemists stock up on inhalers, flights get diverted and canceled, and driving, especially at night and in the mornings, becomes impossible.
It is only November, but each morning as I drop my daughter to school, I wonder - looking at the smog that hangs like a thick, dusty layer just above the city, already reducing visibility - how I'll make my way in the coming months.
It is an urgent, serious problem. Delhi, once again, needs to clean up its act.