Air pollution level in Delhi alarmingly High

Article by Anne-Sophie, French, Intern at Chandigarh University, India

Last Friday, on the 4^th of November, Delhi witnessed for two days the worse smog the city as known in 17 years. Besides the celebration of Diwali and its firecrackers overuse, experts are blaming the lack of governments involvement to fight pollution, stubble burnings in Punjab and Haryana, and the increasing number of vehicles on the roads. We could ask ourselves where is the place of Chandigarh in that alarming pollution degradation and what role Chandigarh has played on the pollution regulation post-celebration.

            With a PM10 (Particular Matter of 10 micrometers or less) at 229 against 110 for Chandigarh, Delhi reached the sorry state of being the most polluted city in the world. Authorities were forced to take emergency measures and limit outdoor exposures to children and vulnerable persons. The increasing level of pollution is related to a doubling of the population in Delhi and greater areas in the last 15 years. This demographic expansion consequently resulted on a multiplication of vehicles on the road, as polluting as ever. This dramatic scenario could have been anticipated by a stronger political will to regulate and implement policies regarding the environment, but also reversed if residents of India were willing to change their lifestyle habits and raise awareness on environmental issues surrounding them.

            Not blaming Delhi only for the deterioration of its pollution, stubble burnings in the region of Punjab and Haryana has played an important role in the pic of pollution. Even though the government bans the crop-burning as a mean for farmers to clear fields for the next crop, this cost efficient tradition is repeatedly used in those regions, feeding the already existing smog surrounding the city.

            Due to its geographical position and its lighter number of industries and vehicles, Chandigarh woke up in a smoggy atmosphere which dispersed rapidly the following days thanks to the wind. The windy region of Chandigarh was announced to help clear up the air in Punjab, Haryana till Delhi.

 

                                                              Video by BBC News

            India presenting an infinite potential to become one of the best nation from its cultural and ethnic diversity, political stability, advance technology and so more, there is an international concern regarding the pollution is this developing country. Changing lifestyle habits toward more ecologic ones, takes time and is a process to be taken steps by steps. Raising awareness is the key to involve people into the process and educate them on the right behaviour to adopt to show them the right way. At a larger scale, government and business should develop sustainable solutions and keep implementing existing ones such as the biomass power plants, started in 2005 but abandoned in 2013.