Air pollution crisis weighs heavily on India’s most vulnerable

NEW DELHI

Inderpal Singh, a 28-year-old salesman at Nehru Place, one of Asia’s largest electronics markets in New Delhi, the capital of India, has been struggling with a persistent cough and cold since the beginning of November. Despite taking over-the-counter medications, the relief was temporary, and Singh believes the cause of his illness is clear: the city’s worsening air pollution.

“I haven’t been well for a week. It’s probably due to the bad air I’m breathing here,” Singh told Anadolu.

His story is shared by many in New Delhi, where thick, choking smoke has engulfed the city, sparking a public health emergency and forcing authorities to take drastic measures.

The capital, with a population of around 33 million, has long struggled with poor air quality, but the situation has reached new extremes in recent weeks. Air pollution levels have risen to 20 times the safe limit recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). Pollution, a deadly mix of particulate matter and industrial emissions, now causes widespread respiratory problems, eye irritation and other health problems.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board, the Air Quality Index (AQI) in New Delhi reached a staggering 484 on Monday morning, indicating that the air is dangerous for everyone. Just one day ago, the AQI ranged from 441 to 457; This was well above the “emergency” threshold of 301.

An AQI reading above 150 is considered unhealthy and indicates high levels of contaminants that are harmful to human health. When the AQI exceeds 300, it is classified as an emergency and poses a serious risk to all residents. With air quality at dangerous levels, the New Delhi government had to take extreme measures.

In response to the crisis, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi Marlena Singh announced that all schools in the city would switch to online classes in a bid to reduce students’ exposure to toxic air.

Authorities also banned non-essential construction work, restricted non-electric buses and ordered the seizure of vehicles that did not meet pollution standards. Use of public transport was encouraged and residents were advised to work from home whenever possible.

As part of the Gradual Response Action Plan (GRAP), a series of incremental anti-pollution measures, the Air Quality Management Commission implemented Phase 4 of the plan across the National Capital Region (NCR) on Monday. GRAP is designed to put in place stringent measures when pollution levels reach critical thresholds, preventing further environmental damage and reducing immediate health risks caused by pollution.

In October, the city government sought approval from the Union government to use cloud seeding to provide “artificial rain” as an emergency measure to combat pollution. However, experts questioned the effectiveness of such measures and warned of possible collateral consequences.

“By triggering artificial rain, you will change the meteorological conditions of not just one city but a wide area,” said Mohan George, a former scientist with the Delhi Pollution Control Committee.

“If they make it rain, they will remove pollution, but this may have other consequences and such an application should be carried out after a suitable pilot study.”

– ‘Air pollution is a serious public health emergency’

Activists complain that government officials are “not serious” in tackling air pollution.

“Air pollution is a serious public health emergency, but I don’t see any government acting on this issue with the seriousness and urgency it requires,” said Jyoti Pande Lavakare, author of Breathing Here is Bad for Your Health. He is the co-founder of Care for Air, a non-profit organization that works to raise awareness about air pollution.

“We claim that we are progressing economically, but we cannot provide clean air to the public,” he said.

Air pollution causes not only short-term illnesses such as coughs and colds, but also long-term damage such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases. A recent Lancet study found that air pollution contributed to 1.6 million deaths in India in 2021, with fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas responsible for 38% of them.

Pollution has become so severe that Lavakare now calls himself a “pollution refugee”, having fled to other parts of the country to escape the smog. But he also acknowledges that not everyone can leave.

For millions of outdoor workers like Singh, staying home or leaving the city is not an option.

“How will I provide for my family if I stay at home?” said the father of two. “We will die of hunger”

His plight is echoed by construction worker Ram Singh, who is fighting the construction ban in Kalkaji, a residential area in South Delhi.

“What will my family eat if I can’t work these days?” Singh asked, frustrated by the lack of income.

Similarly, 42-year-old Sumit Kumar, who was delivering food in the city, also suffered irritation in his eyes due to pollution. Despite this, he cannot afford to stop working.

“I work 10-12 hours a day to support my family,” Kumar said. “I’m not sure if the company cares about pollution; no one brings this up. “We would be grateful if they let us stay at home during high pollution and still pay us.”

For workers in the informal economy, such as gambling, the lack of employer support for health risks related to air pollution further deepens the crisis. Unlike workers in formal jobs, delivery drivers, laborers and other informal sector workers are not entitled to paid sick leave or any pollution-related benefits.

Center for Science and Environment program officer Sharanjeet Kaur said that the government’s measures against air pollution are steps in the right direction.

“However, given the persistent and increasing levels of PM (particulate matter) 2.5 observed this winter, these measures are not yet sufficient to deliver a significant and sustained improvement in air quality, as year-round sustainable solutions to reduce air pollution are needed.”

The Supreme Court has criticized government officials for the past six weeks for failing to reduce air pollution in New Delhi. He condemned the state governments in Punjab, Haryana and the stubble burning center and New Delhi for not enforcing the ban on fireworks.

Kumar said the government should develop policies that target sources of pollution throughout the year, not just during the winter months.

He also said a unified strategy among states to combat air pollution with joint monitoring, stricter enforcement and coordinated actions to effectively address transboundary pollution is required.

Earlier this month, the chief minister of Pakistan’s Punjab province appealed to his counterpart in India, suggesting that both countries join forces to find solutions to the growing environmental crisis.

Tanushree Ganguly, director of the Air Quality Life Index, emphasized that people living in South Asia may lose an average of 3.5 years of their lives due to air pollution, and in some regions such as Lahore and Delhi, losses of more than five years may occur.

He told Anadolu that historical evidence shows that cross-border programs targeting cross-border pollution effectively help reduce pollution.

“For example, the UNECE Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution has reduced harmful emissions by over 80% since the 1990s, thanks to shared scientific understanding and common monitoring and modeling infrastructure across Europe,” added Ganguly.

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