Delhi made worthy leaps but why clean air is still a long work in progress
Delhi is not the city that comes to mind with the words 'Clean Air' but rather the abject absence of it. A recent nationwide review of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), has shown that the Delhi administration's multi-pronged actions to crack down on sources of air pollution has covered much ground, yet more remains to be done.Delhi's clean air action precedes the NCAP programme. Its early moves were driven by interventions from the Supreme Court and its monitoring body, the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority, established by the top court in 1998.advertisementRoad dust due to transport is the source of close to 40 per cent of PM (particulate matter) 2.5 pollution. To begin with, Delhi substituted diesel fuel with compressed natural gas (CNG) in its public transport and local commercial transport. Then it put restrictions on entry of trucks; imposed a pollution tax on daily truck entries, diesel fuel sold and diesel cars sold with 2000 cc engines; phased out 10-year-old diesel and 15-year-old petrol vehicles; banned polluting industrial fuels like coal, furnace oil and pet coke; and also closed all coal-based power plants.After 2020, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has restricted the entry of pre-Bharat Stage IV inter-state buses; banned diesel generator sets; and initiated hotspot action on dispersed sources. The Delhi government's electric vehicle policy has attained fleet electrification level of 12 per cent. The long-term action on coal and diesel has cumulatively led to major reductions in their consumption and led to reduction of emissions.advertisement
Simultaneously, the city has also worked on management of its construction and demolition waste. Its waste collection process is streamlined, with geo-tagged collection depots, colour-coded skip-hauler bins and smartphone apps that show residents nearest drop-off points. Delhi has the highest recycling capacity in the country of 5,150 tonnes per day. The government has also mandated all public agencies to use recycled aggregates.However, even after such extensive action, Delhi still requires another 62 per cent cut in PM2.5 levels to meet the national clean air standards. 'Delhi's multi-sector clean air action so far has been the most diverse, structural and systemic in nature in several cases, and relatively more comprehensive compared to most other cities in the country. While this has helped bend the long-term pollution curve, the clean air target is still way off,' states the CSE report.Stressing the need for urgent action, the report stated that Delhi's case study presents a strong lesson for other cities regarding the scale and speed of change needed. 'The clean air action is still an unfinished agenda in Delhi,' it says.The CSE review focuses on selected case studies from across India that showcase emerging good practices in clean air action in four different sectors: vehicles, industries, solid waste, and construction and demolition waste. But it also lays bare some of the systemic drawbacks that have kept the programme from reaching its full potential. Delhi, Kolkata, Noida, Surat, Kochi, Indore, Srinagar and Bengaluru have been covered in the review.advertisement'Our review shows that while NCAP has helped establish the national air quality management framework with clean air targets, identified the non-attainment cities, and adopted the first-ever performance-linked funding strategy, its interventions have been largely confined to road-dust control, especially in the Indo-Gangetic Plains. Funding available under the programme is not equitably spread across priority measures in the combustion sectors,' said CSE executive director Anumita Roychowdhury.For Delhi, the report highlights the need to address gaps in transport emissions. 'The Electric Bus programme needs to significantly improve service level city-wide. Metro and bus service must be integrated with advanced last-mile connectivity like feeders and paratransit options for seamless journeys,' it says. The electric vehicle policy 2.0 being prepared should have a clear roadmap to achieve the target of 95 per cent fleet electrification by 2030 for zero emission transition.Addressing gaps in industrial pollution control, it is stated that the piped natural gas network must be strengthened to ensure 100 per cent coverage of all industrial units. Cost of natural gas pricing must also be kept affordable on a longer term basis.advertisementSmart monitoring of industries needs to be strengthened. Management of non-hazardous industrial waste must be implemented to prevent open dumping and burning. It is also recommended to bring industrial units in peripheral and non-conforming areas within the monitoring system and mandate display of consent to operate certificate from Delhi Pollution Control Committee.Subscribe to India Today MagazineMust Watch
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