‘Dilli ki Sardi’: Rulers’ minds polluted by apathy, laxity

Schoolchildren in Delhi should be quite happy over the unexpected holidays. But they cannot celebrate anything, play with friends, spend more time with family etc. The move is rather to confine them to homes to protect them from the hazardous air enveloping the capital. Primary schools are shut from November 3 to 10 and senior schools are also given this option. The last time this happened was 7 years ago.

Similarly, and ironically too, as world over tech companies are dispensing with work from home (WFH) facility, the AAP government has announced WFH for 50 per cent of its staff and asked private sector to follow suit. For its part, the Centre has imposed a ban on polluting trucks and commercial four-wheelers, not engaged in essential services.

The ban extends to construction activities related to public projects in Delhi-NCR. Construction dust is a major source of fine particulate matter in the air. Government vehicles are now sprinting across Delhi, sprinkling water to ease public plight. The AAP government has set up a ‘Green War Room,’ coordinating 28 departments.

But measures by both BJP and NDA governments are precautionary or reactionary – rather than actionary. However, all efforts, including smog machines and air purifiers, are an eyewash. Delhiites had better venture out at their own risk.

For the past 8 days, Delhi has been in the grip of air pollution categorised as ‘severe plus’ with the average air quality index shooting past 450, widely causing respiratory issues. Drone visuals show thick layers of haze over the capital. The concentration of particulate matter, whether PM 10 or more harmful PM 2.5, is at alarming levels in the air. PM 2.5 pollutants are particularly cancer-causing microparticles that enter bloodstream through lungs. They are more than 30 times the WHO danger limits. Breathing is becoming so challenging in such smoggy weather as to prompt Delhi Minister for Environment Gopal Rai to dub it “air-pocalypse.” People are thinking twice about morning walks, outing, shopping, functions, etc. Meanwhile, the issue has become a flashpoint between AAP and BJP. A BJP spokesperson says Kejriwal lives in a ‘Sheesh Mahal,’ as Delhi is living in a ‘Gas and Smog Ka Mahal.’ But what about Centre’s equal complicity?

Since such a havoc has been being wreaked by stubble burning by farmers in neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana all these years, the Centre should have involved them, and evolved and coordinated an action plan.

Experts caution it is easy to blame the situation on the farmers in Punjab and Haryana. Vehicles are estimated to contribute around 17% of Delhi’s PM2.5. Add to this, firecrackers, wet waste, industrial pollution and other local pollution sources. In fact, stubble burning is said to be coming down over the years. It is time to bolster public transport, and press electric vehicles into service in large numbers. Plying mini-buses to colonies and remote areas would also help greatly. A campaign is needed to encourage people to use their vehicles sparingly. As per a study, vehicles caused half of the national capital’s own contribution to PM2.5 levels from October 21 to 26.

Thanks to the World Cup matches, Delhi’s – and thus India’s – infamy travels far and wide. As ‘Dilli ki Sardi’ chokes lungs amid policy paralysis every year, people should take up cudgels and not let governments get away ever again.