Last Update:15 November 2024 15:04 IST

For Delhi to see lasting improvements in air quality, regulators need to prioritize consistent enforcement, ensure adequate funding and ensure coordinated political will extends beyond short-term election cycles.

Air pollution in Delhi is a persistent problem that requires year-round attention and not just emergency measures like GRAP. (Image: PTI)

A thick shroud of smog continued to envelop Delhi on Thursday morning, with the city’s air quality dipping further compared to Wednesday, when the national capital was the country’s most polluted city. The air quality index (AQI) in certain areas has fallen into the “severe” category — Anand Vihar recorded an AQI of 473, Dwarka 458, RK Puram 454, Mundka 460 and Chandni Chowk 407, according to data released by the Central Pollution Control. We board the ship at 7 in the morning.

Delhi insists air quality crisis It highlights deep-seated challenges to governance, policy and accountability. Each winter, residents endure severe levels of air pollution, largely due to stubble burning, vehicle emissions and industrial pollutants, exacerbated by weak regulatory oversight and fragmented political action. Despite Phased Response Action Plan (GRAP), which aims to address rising pollution levels, seasonal focus and inconsistent implementation limit its effectiveness. Real progress requires a year-round coordinated commitment between the Central and state governments, especially in Punjab and Haryana, where crop burning is a major cause of polluted air in Delhi. Unfortunately, conflicting political agendas prevent a unified approach and reduce GRAP to a reactionary measure rather than a sustainable solution.

Economic barriers further complicate the problem. Farmers lack sufficient support and incentives to adopt cleaner alternatives such as Happy Seeder, which can reduce stubble burning. Due to high costs and inadequate subsidies, farmers are left with few viable options. This situation is exacerbated by policies such as electricity subsidies that inadvertently encourage resource-intensive and polluting practices in agriculture. Reluctance to address these systemic economic challenges results in continued cross-sector pollution and leaves Delhi vulnerable to recurring air quality emergencies.

Ultimately, piecemeal efforts and inadequate implementation of pollution control measures underscore the urgent need for policy reform. For Delhi to see lasting improvements in air quality, regulators need to prioritize consistent enforcement, ensure adequate funding and ensure coordinated political will extends beyond short-term election cycles. Without these systemic changes, Delhi’s severe winter pollution risks becoming an ongoing environmental and public health crisis.

Political Coordination and Responsibility

Addressing Delhi’s air quality involves multiple stakeholders, including state and central governments as well as neighboring states such as Punjab and Haryana. However, conflicting agendas and lack of coordination lead to poor implementation of policies such as GRAP. GRAP, designed to combat air pollution depending on the severity of air quality, often falls short due to inconsistent implementation and lack of cooperation between various authorities.

Efforts to combat crop burning (a major contributor to Delhi’s seasonal smog) are often undermined by political reluctance to impose stricter penalties on farmers without offering viable alternatives. Farmers in Punjab and Haryana resort to burning crop residues as a quick and cost-effective method to clear fields for the next planting season. Although crop burning penalties exist, they are rarely enforced and farmers are not provided with sufficient incentives or alternatives, such as subsidies for environmentally friendly equipment or financial support for alternative methods. This political reluctance, combined with the lack of a unified approach, worsens the pollution problem every winter, leaving Delhi residents facing the consequences of severe air quality.

Economic Constraints and Policy Inertia

Financial and political constraints on the adoption of environmentally friendly alternatives such as Happy Seeder illustrate the critical challenges in pollution control in India. Despite the clear environmental and economic benefits of using Happy Seeder, which reduces the need for stubble burning and supports soil health, adoption remains limited due to inadequate subsidies and logistical hurdles. Farmers often find the machine’s cost of about $1,900 prohibitive without significant government assistance; Existing subsidy programs and penalties for stubble burning are inadequately or inconsistently enforced, leaving many farmers with few practical alternatives.

Moreover, economic constraints encourage dependence in agriculture on practices such as subsidized electricity for groundwater irrigation, further exacerbating unsustainable farming methods and depleting natural resources. Government efforts to penalize crop burning are hampered by a lack of widespread knowledge and education about alternative methods, as well as the lack of a solid market infrastructure to support environmentally friendly technologies. While initiatives to promote conservation agriculture are promising, they require consistent policy reform, improved subsidy structures, and effective outreach campaigns to achieve meaningful adoption and make sustainable agriculture financially viable for farmers on a large scale.

Urgent Need for Year-Round Air Pollution Strategies

Air pollution in Delhi is a persistent problem that requires year-round attention and not just emergency measures such as the Phased Response Action Plan. While GRAP is a crucial tool to address severe pollution events, it falls short of providing a sustainable solution. Reliance on emergency measures has turned pollution into a seasonal phenomenon and allowed politicians to engage in blame games rather than implementing long-term strategies.

For example, when Punjab was not under the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the Delhi government often accused Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh of contributing to Delhi’s pollution by burning stubble. Now with Punjab under AAP control, the blame has shifted to Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. This political maneuver reduces the urgent need for comprehensive, year-round policies to combat pollution.

Year-round plans should focus on reducing emissions from vehicles, industries and construction activities, which contribute significantly to Delhi’s poor air quality. Enforcing stricter regulations, promoting public transport and encouraging the use of cleaner technologies can help reduce pollution levels throughout the year. Additionally, public awareness campaigns and community engagement are crucial to developing collective responsibility for protecting air quality.

Weakness of Regulatory Enforcement

Despite established policies and regulations, enforcement remains inconsistent. Measures against pollution from vehicles, industries and construction dust are not adequately implemented. Even during peak pollution periods, regulations are strictly enforced, limiting their impact on improving air quality. For example, the Commission on Air Quality Management (CAQM) has directed intensified actions to remove highly polluting end-of-life vehicles from Delhi roads. However, the slow pace of resolution and the increasing number of complaints prevent effective implementation.

Similarly, efforts to curb stubble burning in neighboring countries are often undermined by political reluctance to impose stricter penalties without providing viable alternatives. This selective enforcement not only undermines the effectiveness of pollution control measures but also increases public health risks. A more proactive and consistent approach is needed to ensure that policies are implemented equitably and effectively and that sustained improvements in air quality are achieved.

The writer, a columnist and researcher, teaches at St. Petersburg, Calcutta. He teaches (autonomous) journalism at Xavier’s College. The username on X is @sayantan_gh. The views expressed in the article above are personal and belong solely to the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views of News18.