Can Delhi fight pollution better than Beijing?
Unlike in China, there appears to be an extreme lack of resoluteness and political will in this country
Whenever there’s a debate about air pollution, we Indians love pulling China into the mix – more specifically, Beijing vis-àvis Delhi.
Among 20 world cities with worst air pollution traits, as noted by the WHO, 16 are in China, and the one that shares the top spot with Delhi is Beijing. The major drivers of Beijing’s air quality include vehicular traffic, industrial emissions and the teeming population. But tough actions have been underway, beginning with the 2008 summer Olympics. In 2013, China’s Heavy Air Pollution Contingency Plan enacted a series of measures: restricting 80% of government vehicles, allowing private cars based on registration plate numbers and day of the week, barring freight and construction vehicles, utilising watering carts and sprinkler trucks, shutting down factories, halting unplanned construction, even forbidding barbecues and fireworks.
So, what’s the connection with Delhi? First, Delhi is in a duel to snatch the top spot on the global air pollution matrix. Second, the root causes — traffic, coal-powered industrial emissions, the population. In both cities (or nations rather?), the recent economic boom saw an unprecedented proliferation in automobiles and industry, which aggravates air quality.
But not just that! Air pollution in Beijing owes it to the winds that carry particulates from the more industrialised southern provinces. Just like the stubble burning issue in NCR. The Chinese government banned fireworks in some cities; Shanghai for example, imposed complete bans. Beijing, on the other hand, only banned ‘selling’ of firecrackers. Just like Delhi.
What have we done so far?
The civic authorities in Delhi seem ridiculously indecisive in ‘altering’ transport details. Just recently, they pulled out of the odd-even plan. The Green Tribunal has strongly admonished keeping female drivers and motorbikes out of these restrictions. This clearly showcases extreme lack of resoluteness (or political will?). Similarly, state authorities are still vacillating on joining hands to fix the stubble issue in the NCR. Our strategies have always been on-the-run; no wonder they are falling short.
We’ll need pre-emptive action of the longterm type: Improving vehicular standards, prioritising clean public transport, social innovation, community awareness, whatever seems appropriate, should be enacted on a sustained basis. The root cause of many problems is greed and selfishness. It is a desire to acquire more than what one needs or deserves, especially with respect to material wealth. A greedy person tries to acquire as much material wealth as possible even by way of illegal means. And greediness leads to selfishness.
It is the rule of nature that, we should live and let others live. However a greedy person in his quest for material wealth and power acquires wealth depriving others of the