Measure, but also contain the pollution levels
The National Air Quality Index, launched on Monday by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is an important step towards increasing public awareness about air pollution. It should help the Government prepare the ground for difficult decisions that will have to be taken to control this problem. The AQI is designed to give the public (and the Government) a daily reality check — we are all aware of the debilitating impact of air pollution on human health, yet little is done to fight this menace. Because air pollution is a slow and silent killer, it is easy to overlook the heavy toll that it takes on our bodies.
According to the World Health Organisation, air pollution claims over 6,20,000 lives in India every year. This number can only be expected to rise as population and urbanisation continue to increase. India is home to 13 of the world's 20 most polluted cities, as per a 2014 WHO study that looked at air pollution in 1,600 cities across the world. That study also put New Delhi at the top of the list, ahead of even Beijing, which is known for its notorious smog and pollution levels.
Yet, in spite of these alarming figures, the public narrative against air pollution has started only now. The AQI will give a fillip to the conversation. When people see on a daily basis the high levels of toxicity of the air that they are breathing, they will be more willing to, let's say, comply with stricter emission norms for their vehicles and ensure higher green standards at their factories. Also, they will be more likely to pressure their elected representatives to take stringent measures to control air pollution.
The success of the AQI programme will depend on how well it is implemented. The four monitoring stations in every city, which will coordinate to produce a composite figure, will themselves have to be closely monitored and well-maintained to ensure data accuracy. This is easier said than done. On Monday, the AQI failed to show in three of the 10 cities where the project was launched; in the national capital, at least one of the four monitoring stations was not functioning. These may be early snags but they point to the challenges, both technical and operational, that lie ahead.
The AQI should not only be seen as an anti-pollution step but as part of the Modi Government's larger campaign for clean energy and sustainable development, which, in turn, will help mitigate the devastating impacts of climate change. It is no coincidence that during the launch of the AQI, the Prime Minister urged the people yet again to amend their lifestyles and be environment-friendly. At the individual level, small steps like taking public transport instead of personal cars, and switching from firewood to cooking gas, can make a huge difference.
At the national level, a sustained effort to diversify the energy basket with renewable energy and nuclear energy is a policy imperative. The Government must also look into auxiliary issues such as revamping the power sector to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply. This will prevent people from using power generator sets which are heavily polluting in nature. Similarly, green permits need to be streamlined so that it is practical to enforce environment rules. This can be done without compromising on the ease of doing business.