New Delhi: The national capital grappled with pollution in 2024 as well as smog obscured its skyline, turning breathing into a perilous act. A thick, toxic haze enveloped the city, reducing visibility and choking iconic landmarks in the city.
Like previous years, the crisis in 2024 stemmed from a combination of stagnating weather conditions, stubble burning, and urban emissions, driving the Air Quality Index (AQI) into the 'severe' category, well beyond the safe limits recommended by health experts. For millions of residents, the worsening air pollution has become a recurring public health emergency.
This year, Delhi's AQI consistently fell into the "severe" category, reaching alarming levels that severely impact public health, the environment, and the economy.
The air quality across Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, and Gurugram reached dangerously high levels every other day for the last 8 weeks. On November 19, the Air Quality Index (AQI) hit the maximum limit of 500, categorised as "severe plus."
Legal Battle to Combat the Delhi Air Pollution
For nearly four decades, the Supreme Court has also been at the forefront of addressing pollution issues in the national capital. The legal battle over pollution in Delhi began in 1984 when environmentalist M C Mehta filed a petition to protect the Taj Mahal from air pollution in Agra. The primary sources of this pollution included industrial emissions, vehicle exhaust, and emissions from the Mathura Refinery, all of which threatened the monument's pristine white marble.
Mehta's case established environmental protection as a fundamental right. Despite judicial efforts, the rapid growth of the economy and population has continued to outpace pollution control measures in Delhi.
Meteorological factors such as mixing height, wind speed and direction, temperature & transboundary transportation of finer dust have a significant effect on air quality. #Meteorology #AirPollution #ReduceAirPollution #AirQuality @byadavbjp @KVSinghMPGonda @moefcc @mygovindia pic.twitter.com/GhWEWkrnnT
— Central Pollution Control Board (@CPCB_OFFICIAL) October 27, 2024
Since then, key rulings have been made to address air quality issues in Delhi. In 1998, a mandate was issued to convert public transport to CNG (compressed natural gas), and in 2016, a strict ban was imposed on the sale of diesel vehicles with engine capacities over 2,000 cc in Delhi. Additionally, all taxis were required to switch to CNG.
In 2019, a shocking development occurred for farmers in the neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana, which were illegally burning paddy stubble to clear their fields. The court imposed a ban on stubble burning in these states, acknowledging its significant contribution to Delhi’s winter smog.
The court criticised both the Central and state authorities for their inadequate enforcement of this directive. In 2024, the court directed the federal government, along with the governments of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and the western regions of Rajasthan, to submit compliance reports regarding these issues. Despite these stringent actions, the alarming air quality index in Delhi continues to be a critical concern.
Delhi's Air Quality: A Challenge for All
The current situation in Delhi is not just an environmental crisis; it is also a public health emergency that significantly affects the economy. The AQI in the National Capital frequently records alarmingly high levels, which negatively impact people's health and longevity.
The tourism industry has suffered, with an estimated annual loss of $2.6 billion, as visitors avoid the smog-laden city. It is one of the main sources of income in the tourism sector as Delhi is India's capital and and a gateway to other destinations. The increasing air pollution cast a shadow on the national capital's beauty, negatively impacting the overall tourism system of the country.
GRAP measures, health issues and pollution-related disruptions have led to absenteeism and reduced productivity across various sectors. Also, studies have shown that toxic air can reduce life expectancy by more than five hours. According to a study published in The Lancet Planetary Health journal, about a million and a half deaths every year from 2009 to 2019 are potentially linked to long-term exposure to PM2.5 pollution.
In their study, the authors analyzed yearly death statistics from 2009 to 2019 at the district level across India. They obtained annual PM2.5 concentration data using information from satellites and over 1,000 ground-monitoring stations. The death data was sourced from the Civil Registration System. The team noted that there is limited and inconsistent evidence regarding long-term exposure to air pollution and its impact on deaths in India compared to studies conducted in other countries.
Exposure to PM2.5 pollution was found to be wide-ranging across the years, with the lowest yearly level noted in Lower Subansiri district, Arunachal Pradesh (11.2 microns per cubic metre) in 2019, and the largest yearly level seen in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi (119 microns per cubic metre) in 2016. The team said that evidence on long-term exposure to air pollution and deaths in India is scarce and inconsistent with studies from other countries.
In light of these findings, the government has implemented a series of measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), a comprehensive strategy to combat air pollution in the Delhi NCR.
In 2024, the focus was primarily on GRAP Stage IV, which is triggered when the AQI reaches the 'severe' category. As a result, the government enacted a partial lockdown, ordering schools to close physical classes to protect children from harmful pollutants.
They mandated that 50 per cent of staff work from home and urged private organizations to adopt similar measures. Children in the city are particularly affected, with studies indicating a decline in lung function equivalent to that of smoking several cigarettes a day.
Environment Minister Gopal Rai announced a work-from-home policy and suggested staggered office hours for private organizations to help reduce peak-hour traffic and vehicle emissions. “Adjusting office timings can ease congestion and lower emissions,” he stated.
Stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana is one of the main contributors to air pollution in Delhi NCR. The Central Government has imposed increased penalties on farmers engaged in illegal crop residue burning, with fines of Rs 5,000 for farmers with less than two acres of land, Rs 10,000 for those with two to five acres, and Rs 30,000 for farmers with more than five acres.
The worsening air quality in Delhi has led authorities to tighten restrictions on vehicles, enforcing strict bans, intensified checks, and hefty penalties. The Supreme Court also directed a ban on construction work starting on November 18, a significant source of dust pollution, to limit the release of particulate matter into the atmosphere. Subsequently, the Delhi government decided to provide financial assistance of Rs 8,000 to each of the over 90,000 registered construction workers affected by these court directives under GRAP IV.
As 2024 ends, Delhi continues to struggle with air pollution. Despite efforts like the Graded Response Action Plan, stricter vehicle regulations, and stubble-burning penalties, air quality remains poor. It’s vital to consistently address this issue, not just during peak pollution times.
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