SC Raps Delhi Air Quality Panel Over Pollution

General Studies Paper-3

Context: The Supreme Court questioned the effectiveness of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in controlling air pollution caused by stubble burning in North India.

Background

• Recently the air quality in Delhi slipped into the ‘poor’ category, signaling the imminent arrival of North India’s bad air season.
• The Supreme court criticized the CAQM for non-compliance with its mandate, saying the commission has vast powers, such as closing down polluting industries, but hasn’t fully used them.
  • Also, no specific committee had been formed to address stubble burning, which is a major cause of pollution.

Reason for higher pollution level in winters

• Seasonal Impact: As the monsoon ends, weather conditions like temperature inversion (where warm air traps cooler air near the surface) prevent pollutants from dispersing, causing hazardous pollution levels.
• Sources of Pollution: Pollution in Delhi comes from many sources, such as:
  • Biomass burning for cooking in rural areas.
  • Trash burning and vehicular emissions in cities.
  • Industrial pollution.
  • Stubble burning in nearby states like Haryana and Punjab.
  • Firecrackers during festivals like Diwali.

Concerns with the existing solutions

• Smog Towers: These structures reduce pollution only in a small area and require electricity, which might lead to more emissions.
• Water Guns: These have limited impact on overall air quality.
• Odd-Even Road Sharing: While it reduces traffic temporarily, the long-term effect is minimal.
• Cloud Seeding: This method uses chemicals, such as silver iodide, to create artificial rain, but it can have environmental risks.
  • Water vapor that would naturally fall elsewhere is manipulated, which could cause droughts in other regions.
  • Additionally, chemicals used can accumulate in soil and water, potentially harming ecosystems.

Way Ahead

• Better Coordination: Agencies responsible for transportation, industry, agriculture, and urban planning need to work together.
• The problem of stubble burning requires cooperation between farmers, policymakers, and regulators across state borders.
• Capacity Building: Policymakers, researchers, regulators, and industries should collaborate and critically evaluate solutions that are truly in the public interest.
• Comprehensive Air Quality Monitoring: While cities like Delhi get most of the attention, pollution is also a serious problem in rural and industrial areas. Air quality monitoring should cover all regions.
• Address root cause: Solutions like cloud seeding and smog towers serve as superficial actions. Real solutions need to address the root causes of pollution rather than offer temporary relief.

Concluding remarks

• The scale of the problem demands long-term solutions, but the response has often been characterized by short-term, optics-driven measures.
• India needs a multi-decadal, multi-sectoral effort grounded in scientific thinking and committed to sustained, collaborative action.