Thread by @vimlendu

AIR POLLUTION THREAD:
Delhi is THE MOST POLLUTED capital in the world. It had only one ‘good air’ day in 2021, on Oct 18. 1st ‘good air’ day in 2022 was on Sept 16. Truth is Delhi’s air is BAD ATLEAST 360 days a year, and good air days are due to rain gods and not govt action.

Delhi and it’s govt conveniently ignores the perennial causes of pollution and hides behind one Commisioner study or the other, to hide their lack of political will and urgency. There are 13 ‘pollution hotspots’ identified by the govt, year round toxic localities.

Transport is a major source of air pollution, studies indicate its contribution to be almost 40%, with over 13.4 million registered vehicles, 42% of them invalid n illegally plying on the roads despite being old vehicles. Public transport in shambles, deficit of approx 5k buses.

Construction and demolition dust along with road dust is next major contributor. More than 3500 tones/day of construction waste is untreated in Delhi. There is a shortfall of atleast 200 water sprinkling machines and 60 road sweeping machines. 14.4% of PM10 comes from road dust.

Open burning of garbage, at landfills or in neighborhoods is another major contributor of black carbon air pollutant. Burning of plastic is another major source, as only 12% id recycled. MCD has created these mountains of shame, knows as landfills (landHILLS), pollution hotspots.

DPCC, the state pollution control authority is powerless, staff-less, toothless, with more than 55% seats vacant,mere 157 staff members to govern ALL of Delhi. Transport department impounded mere 2500 polluting vehicles last year, 5000 this year, out of lakhs of illegal vehicles.

Stubble burning is the main episodic source of pollution, affecting the AQI of Delhi for 40-60 days, making situation worse with coinciding with weather conditions. In this period, it’s share ranges from 1% of total on a given day to max of 40%, depending on wind speed etc.

Central govt as well as respective state Govt’s have FAILED to find a medium to long term solution to this problem, often stopping at just blaming the farmers and passing the buck, instead of farm reforms, crop rotation incentives, technology assistance etc.

Delhi Govt has lost last 5 years of its air quality governance in mostly blaming govt n people of Punjab for Delhi’s air crisis,rather than looking inward n sorting its own house, plus collaboratively working with other Govts,have spent money and time in campaigns, than in action

Firecrackers make an already bad situation WORSE, with AQI getting 30 times worse than permissible limits. Despite the ban, illogical polarization in the name of faith and belief, encourages people to burst firecrackers, to protect their religion but damage the lungs of the kids.

All parties need to understand the urgency, air pollution is the biggest killer in India, with more than 15 lakh people dying each year, and more than 40 billion dollars lost due to morbidity and other causes.
STOP everything and SIT together and SOLVE the crisis.