Perils of Pollution: Examining Delhi’s Environmental Crisis

The Capital Conundrum: Governance Issues in the Heart of India
Book Excerpt from The Capital Conundrum: Governance Issues in the Heart of India
By Sumeet Bhasin
Pollution is a significant problem in the modern world, causing harmful toxic effect on human health and the environment. The term “pollution” encompasses all harmful consequences from various sources that damage the ecosystem and contaminate the surroundings.
Both human activities and natural phenomena can exacerbate pollution. It consists of various pollutants, including solid, liquid, and gaseous substances.
Pollution, though stemming from various sources, finds its primary culprits in motor vehicles and industrial activities. Yet, in Delhi, the problem takes a particularly menacing turn with the seasonal menace of stubble burning, which aggravates an already dire situation.
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The toxicants suspended in the air bring about a grim array of health challenges. From respiratory and cardiovascular ailments to neuropsychiatric conditions, skin disorders, and even chronic illnesses like cancer, their impact is both immediate and long-lasting.
The connection between breathing polluted air and rising rates of diseases and mortality is no longer a subject of debate—numerous studies have laid it bare. While industrial emissions are often presumed to be the primary off enders, Delhi’s predicament tells a different, more disheartening story.
The lack of clean air and water, a basic human necessity, is no longer just an environmental concern; it’s a public health emergency. Th e soaring incidence of pollution-related diseases in Delhi is not only endangering lives but also diminishing the quality of life in the nation’s capital.
To assess the efforts of the AAP-led Delhi government in tackling the multifaceted challenge of pollution, let’s further break it down into three distinct yet interconnected arenas: air pollution, water pollution, and noise pollution.
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For countless seasons, the city of Delhi has battled a relentless adversary—its air. Cloaked in a veil of pollution and laced with the acid fumes of burning stubble from neighboring fields, the atmosphere has long denied its residents the simple luxury of a clean breath.
This persistent menace has not only cast a shadow over the health of its people but has also forced the state administration to take drastic measures. Year after year, schools have been shut down, their gates closed not for lack of learning but to shield young lungs from the toxic embrace of the city’s air.
I recall that during the 1980s and 1990s, the air in Delhi was so clear that one could easily see across vast distances without any difficulty. Sadly, this is not the case anymore.
Every year, specifically in October and November, Delhi suffocates from an increase in uncontrolled air pollution. The AQI levels keep touching new heights.
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Despite numerous government initiatives, the city’s air quality continues to deteriorate, particularly during the winter and summer months. The CSE, through its studies of Delhi’s air pollution in winter 2023-24, has highlighted alarming trends that reveal the depth of this issue.
The CSE’s detailed analysis uncovers how both particulate matter (PM 2.5) and ground-level ozone have reached dangerous levels, exposing millions of residents to toxic air.
The findings paint a grim picture: Delhi’s winter PM 2.5 levels have reached an alarming average of 189 µg/m³, the highest in the past five years. To put this into perspective, it’s more than three times the national safe limit of 60 µg/m³.
The study highlights a troubling 9% rise in these levels compared to 2019-20, underscoring not just the escalating pollution but also the compounding effects of adverse atmospheric conditions.
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Th is “severe” category of pollution is more than just a statistic—it’s a looming health crisis, especially for the city’s most vulnerable, like children and the elderly, whose lives are most at risk The air in Delhi reached such perilous levels of toxicity that it compelled the Central Air Quality Management (CAQM) body to take drastic action.
Stage-IV restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) were reimposed across the National Capital Region (NCR) and its neighboring areas, signaling the severity of the crisis. By the close of 2024, as of 27th December, the city had endured 155 days of air quality categorized as ‘poor,’ ‘very poor,’ or even ‘severe,’ with an AQI exceeding 200.
In stark contrast, 2024 marked a disheartening milestone—Delhi did not experience a single day of ‘good’ air quality, where the AQI would dip below 50, for the first time in six years. The absence of even a single breath of relief speaks volumes about the city’s escalating battle with pollution.
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