Pollution

tions such as breathing difficulty and headaches -- and PM2.5 particles -- which are believed to cause heart and lung conditions -- lead to 180,000 premature deaths every year. Almost twothirds of these are believed to be in India, the report published in February said.

Among the 100 major urban centres assessed for vehicular emission-related deaths globally, New Delhi ranked sixth in the ICCT study.

Experts now suggest the use of new, remote-sensing technology to deal with the problem.

The Supreme Court had, in a 2018 order, asked the Delhi government to test the possibility of introducing ‘remote sensing’ to replace the PUC system. Remote sensing involves sensors placed on the side of the road or at a height to transmit a laser beam to measure exhaust emissions via ‘spectroscopy’ as vehicles pass by.

This can measure exhaust plume, and detect opacity, nitric oxide, carbon monoxide, PM levels, hydrocarbons, and carbon monoxide in 0.5 seconds in the exhaust plumes of vehicles. The apex court had observed that PUC monitoring was not just an old technology, but only 23% of Delhi’s vehicles were turning up for PUC tests.

“The remote sensing technology was experimented after the SC order but no work has been done in the area since then,” a senior Delhi government official said.

Last month, the state government implemented the odd-even road rationing scheme in the city in order to reduce the number of vehicles on the road.

For nearly a month beginning in November, Delhi and the adjoining regions were covered in smog as the air quality index (AQI) shot up to levels not seen in two years. The deterioration triggered anger among people and earned administration officials rebuke from courts, which said that the country’s national capital cannot be allowed to be turned into a gas chamber.

AMONG THE 100 MAJOR URBAN CENTRES ASSESSED FOR VEHICULAR EMISSIONRELATED DEATHS, NEW DELHI RANKED SIXTH IN A STUDY