New study proposes measures to reduce pollution in Delhi by 40%

NEW DELHI: According to a new study, 13 vital measures can reduce air pollution levels by almost 40 per cent and avoid nine lakh premature deaths caused by air pollution in India every year.

The implementation of these measures, enumerated in the study by Louisiana State University (LSU) may also lead to 50-60 per cent reduction of wintertime PM2.5 levels across Delhi.

Professor Hongliang Zhang, author of report, said “Based on our results, the policy measures with the largest potential for air quality improvements are reducing emissions from thermal power plants, instituting strong emissions standards for industries, reducing solid fuel use in households, shifting to zig-zag kilns in brickmaking, and introducing stronger vehicular emissions standards in an accelerated schedule.

“However, a comprehensive set of policies including all of the 13 measures are needed to achieve a 40 per cent reduction in air pollution levels and avoid a projected 9 lakh premature deaths per year.”

The LSU study re-emphasises that reducing emissions from thermal power plants and industry by instituting strong emissions standards is the policy with the highest potential for reducing air pollution levels.

Incorporating emission targets for thermal power plants was part of the recommendations given by various researchers, civil society organisations, lawyers and activists for strengthening the draft version of National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) put out in public domain by the Centre.

“We are presenting a set of specific, implementable policies, that can halve wintertime pollution in north India. We urge the Environment Ministry to incorporate these measures into the Clean Air plan on the national level, and ensure thermal power plants implement the notification of December 2015 and set stricter standards for highly polluting industries industry,” says Sunil Dahiya, campaigner, Greenpeace India.

He added that the LSU study reiterates what Indians have been demanding for long – implementation of emission norms for thermal power plants.

The study points out that emission from thermal power plants is the largest single-point source of pollution. However, the Ministry of Environment has chosen to give a leeway to thermal power plants by illegally extending the deadline for implementation of December 2015 standards by five years, in addition to the two years already given.

Environmentalists say that if the Ministry is serious about public health, it must ensure a stronger NCAP, and incorporate all the recommendations by the Clean Air collectives as well as recommendations from the LSU study into the programme.