Here's A Pollution Manifesto That Can Help Cleaning Delhi's Air And Make It Liveable Again

Delhi has become synonymous to a gas chamber to people who either permanently reside here or travel to the city for work. Fresh air has become an imaginary thing. Hospital are full of people complaining about severe headache and nausea. It happens every year during Diwali and spoils the subsequent Delhi winter, a season that has inspired poetry. Many - who can afford - are planning to leave the city for good.

But, is that all we can do to a city that has given us innumerable memories? Is abandoning our - at least once - beloved city, the only option we are left with?

Open a newspaper or a digital news platform, the common thread between the two are daily headlines on deadly air pollution in the national capital New Delhi, reminding the residents that their life is being cut short by these many years by breathing.

¡°Delhi Pollution ¡®Like Smoking 50 Cigarettes A Day¡± - this and other threatening headlines galore.

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On November 1, a Supreme Court mandated panel, the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) declared a public health emergency in Delhi-NCR. Schools were shut, construction was banned and residents were advised to wear masks and avoid outdoor activities.

The vehicle rationing programme Odd-Even came into effect on November 4 and lasted 12 days.

Reluctant politicians

Over the past few years, Delhi has been under a constant grip of air that¡¯s nothing less than poison, getting worse during the months of October and November. A recent report by Lancet revealed that more than five lakh people have lost their lives due to poisonous air quality. More than 90 per cent of children in India are breathing toxic air. The list of diseases caused by poor air quality is long resulting in an ever-growing number of patients mostly suffering from respiratory.

Amidst all this, our politicians remained unfazed.

Meetings to find a solution to air pollution were met with empty chairs and politicians were seen mocking the situation that required quick action. Interestingly, the Prime Minister¡¯s office had the cleanest air amid toxic AQIs for 140 air purifiers were installed.

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Just a few days ago, Delhi added another feather to its cap and became the most polluted city in the world. In the list of world¡¯s top 15 most polluted cities, India has an upper hand with 14 of its cities.

Delhi witnessed only two ¡°good air¡± days

Since July 2017, the national capital had only two ¡°good¡± or breathable air days. The first was on July 31, 2017, when the Air Quality Index (AQI) measured was 47 and the next was on August 18, when the AQI was 49.

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But it was only natural occurrences like rain and strong winds that led to a decline in pollution level. Rest of the days, the AQI remained in 100-150 category.

The air quality index between 0-50 is a parameter of ¡®good¡¯ air, 51-100 is ¡®satisfactory¡¯, 101-200 is ¡®moderate¡¯, 201-300 is ¡®poor¡¯, 301-400 is ¡®very poor¡¯, 401-500 is ¡®severe¡¯ and 501 and above is ¡®severe plus or hazardous¡¯.

Also, absence of smog doesn¡¯t mean we are breathing clean air.

Pollution in election manifesto

Right before the 2019 General Elections in May, pollution found a place in manifestos of two major political parties -- Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress.

The BJP, which released its manifesto on April 8, 2019, has not only underlined the issue of climate change but also the effort it has been making to tackle the challenges related to it.

The Congress party¡¯s manifesto underlined the problem of deteriorating soil quality. It also recognised ¡®air pollution¡¯ as a national public health emergency and made a promise to strengthen the National Clean Air Programme.

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Moving a step ahead, the Maharashtra Congress office released a separate manifesto for the environment on April 8, 2019.

The only political party that seems serious and is actively working on tackling air pollution is Delhi¡¯s Aam Aadmi Party. Gurgaon, which is yet another city shrouded in toxic haze, has even failed to acknowledge the severe issue of air pollution.

Delhi is set to go on polls in February 2020. AAP, BJP and Congress, all three political parties have raised the issue of pollution and means of tackling it. However, not much has happened on the ground.

Why the government must be held accountable

Jet-setting politicians rarely breathe the same air as ordinary citizens. They sit in AC offices installed with air purifiers and windows closed. Delhi is host to AAP at state level, Narendra Modi-led BJP government at the Centre and a BJP municipality. Accountability is tricky. A mere question of answerability is enough to kickstart a blame game. Delhi shares borders with Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana, states that have rampant incidents of stubble burning, one of the major pollutants contributing to Delhi¡¯s air pollution.

These politicians and political parties are entrusted with the task of welfare of citizens. When they go door to door seeking votes, welfare is an underlying promise.

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Asking why government failed to tackle an issue that is killing thousands each year and making thousands of other sick is paramount.

Take a look at these facts:

- Delhi is world¡¯s most polluted city and capital

- In November, Delhi AQI breached 1200 mark

- Children are attending classes with masks on

- Public health emergency is declared

- Clean air is the right of every citizen.

- Clean air is the right of every citizen.

Delhi¡¯s pollution is not a phase that shall pass. It requires effective and consistent measures to be tackled. Clean air to breathe is the right of every citizen and it is the collective responsibility of elected leaders and citizens to ensure toxin-free air to breathe.