Not only does Delhi have more air pollution than Beijing, the Chinese capital has done a lot more to battle it, says the Centre for Science and Environment headed by Sunita Narain.
According to the Beijing Environmental Protection Bureau, PM10 levels -- the levels of particulate pollution -- in the Chinese capital have decreased by about 40 per cent from 2000 to 2013. On the other hand, the Delhi Pollution Control Board says PM10 levels have increased by about 47 per cent from 2000 to 2011. PM10 levels in Delhi are nearly double that of Beijing.
Beijing's daily PM2.5 levels available for the year 2013 show that these have varied from less than 50 to as high as 400 micrograms per cubic metre (m/cum), but have largely remained below 250 m/cum. Thus, even the Chinese city's winter peaks have not exceeded 400 m/cum. In Delhi, the continuous daily average PM2.5 data for the period November 2013 to January 2014 shows that average levels have been about 240 m/cum which is about four times higher than Indian standards. During this period, the peak levels have hit as high as 575 m/cum – nine times higher than Indian standards.
Doing something about it
Both the cities face serious pressures to clean up their air and both have unique challenges. But Delhi seems to lack Beijing’s scale, stringency and frenetic pace of action. After years of consistent and aggressive efforts, Beijing has evidence to show improvement in its air quality. But Delhi has lost its air quality gains.
To control vehicular pollution and congestion, Beijing has fixed the number of cars that can be sold in one year in the city to 240,000. That limit is being brought down to 150,000. Beijing has also proposed banning half of private cars on roads based on odd and even license plate numbers if the red alert on pollution persists for three or four days.
As the Chinese government does not allow a wide difference between petrol and diesel prices, only 1 per cent of Beijing's vehicles run on diesel. In Delhi, it's 50 per cent.
Beijing is introducing Euro V standards, Delhi is stuck with Euro IV pollution norms for vehicles.
Public transport was scaled up in the Chinese capital, well integrated and fares reduced to improve usage. While Delhi has begun a similar plan, it hasn't been expanded -- the next phase of the Delhi Metro, to be completed by 2017, could help reduce car usage significantly.
Beijing has adopted air quality index and a health alert system to inform and warn people about the severity of daily pollution and the need for precaution. This year, the smog has forced Chinese cities to close some of the large factories. Smog episodes in Beijing have also led to restrictions on highway movement. In some provinces smog episodes have forced schools to suspend classes. People were advised to wear masks. Local governments in China are now liable to pay a fine if air pollution levels hit critical rank. Local governments in eight cities in northeast China’s Liaoning province have been fined of US $8.9 million.
Other Chinese efforts to reduce pollution include advanced testing facilities for vehicles that are on the road, and taking stringent action to seal oil vapour leakage from petrol refueling stations. A range of actions have been taken against industrial and other pollution.
In Delhi, the CSE says, the stringency, scale and enforcement of anti-pollution measures remains weak. Delhi needs to do a lot more but it has already taken some steps: ensuring that public transport works on compressed natural gas; taking vehicles over 15 years old off the road and partially restricting commercial vehicles; testing vehicles plying on the road; relocating polluting industrial units and checking pollution from power plants; ensuring that generator set meet standards; and banning open burning of leaves.
Cancer in the air
Since 2000, at least one study has been published in Delhi each year offering clinching evidence of the increasing toxic risk due to the smog. Many of these studies have been carried out by doctors from leading hospitals. Over the years, they have widely reported prevalence of chronic respiratory symptoms. There has been an increase in emergency room visits during winter for asthma, chronic obstructive lung disease, and acute coronary event. The reports show the genotoxic effects of vehicular fumes and vitamin D deficiency among Delhi children.
According to the Global Burden of Disease report released last year, air pollution is the fifth largest killer in India. The WHO has classified air pollution as a class 1 carcinogen. An epidemiological study on children in Delhi carried out by the Central Pollution Control Board and the Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute of Kolkata in 2012 found that every third child has reduced lung function. The study found the sputum of Delhi’s children contains four times more iron-laden macrophages than those from cleaner environs, indicating pulmonary haemorrhage.
Significantly, in 2013, scientists from Jawaharlal Nehru University who had earlier reported a decline in the level of toxins like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons after the introduction of CNG programme and replacement of diesel buses, now say the levels have gone up again due to rising number of vehicles. They conclude that a maximum of 39,780 excess cancer cases might occur due to lifetime inhalation and exposure to the PAH concentrations.
The CSE says that soft options will not help Delhi. It is time for an aggressive battle against air pollution. Time-bound action against every source of pollution is needed to reduce the winter smog in Delhi. Restricting car usage, upgrading public transport with walking and cycling access, leapfrogging vehicle emissions standards to Euro V and Euro VI and reducing the number of diesel vehicles are urgent steps Delhi needs to take. In doing so, it could learn a lot from Beijing's experience.
According to the Beijing Environmental Protection Bureau, PM10 levels -- the levels of particulate pollution -- in the Chinese capital have decreased by about 40 per cent from 2000 to 2013. On the other hand, the Delhi Pollution Control Board says PM10 levels have increased by about 47 per cent from 2000 to 2011. PM10 levels in Delhi are nearly double that of Beijing.
Beijing's daily PM2.5 levels available for the year 2013 show that these have varied from less than 50 to as high as 400 micrograms per cubic metre (m/cum), but have largely remained below 250 m/cum. Thus, even the Chinese city's winter peaks have not exceeded 400 m/cum. In Delhi, the continuous daily average PM2.5 data for the period November 2013 to January 2014 shows that average levels have been about 240 m/cum which is about four times higher than Indian standards. During this period, the peak levels have hit as high as 575 m/cum – nine times higher than Indian standards.
Doing something about it
Both the cities face serious pressures to clean up their air and both have unique challenges. But Delhi seems to lack Beijing’s scale, stringency and frenetic pace of action. After years of consistent and aggressive efforts, Beijing has evidence to show improvement in its air quality. But Delhi has lost its air quality gains.
To control vehicular pollution and congestion, Beijing has fixed the number of cars that can be sold in one year in the city to 240,000. That limit is being brought down to 150,000. Beijing has also proposed banning half of private cars on roads based on odd and even license plate numbers if the red alert on pollution persists for three or four days.
As the Chinese government does not allow a wide difference between petrol and diesel prices, only 1 per cent of Beijing's vehicles run on diesel. In Delhi, it's 50 per cent.
Beijing is introducing Euro V standards, Delhi is stuck with Euro IV pollution norms for vehicles.
Public transport was scaled up in the Chinese capital, well integrated and fares reduced to improve usage. While Delhi has begun a similar plan, it hasn't been expanded -- the next phase of the Delhi Metro, to be completed by 2017, could help reduce car usage significantly.
Beijing has adopted air quality index and a health alert system to inform and warn people about the severity of daily pollution and the need for precaution. This year, the smog has forced Chinese cities to close some of the large factories. Smog episodes in Beijing have also led to restrictions on highway movement. In some provinces smog episodes have forced schools to suspend classes. People were advised to wear masks. Local governments in China are now liable to pay a fine if air pollution levels hit critical rank. Local governments in eight cities in northeast China’s Liaoning province have been fined of US $8.9 million.
Other Chinese efforts to reduce pollution include advanced testing facilities for vehicles that are on the road, and taking stringent action to seal oil vapour leakage from petrol refueling stations. A range of actions have been taken against industrial and other pollution.
In Delhi, the CSE says, the stringency, scale and enforcement of anti-pollution measures remains weak. Delhi needs to do a lot more but it has already taken some steps: ensuring that public transport works on compressed natural gas; taking vehicles over 15 years old off the road and partially restricting commercial vehicles; testing vehicles plying on the road; relocating polluting industrial units and checking pollution from power plants; ensuring that generator set meet standards; and banning open burning of leaves.
Cancer in the air
Since 2000, at least one study has been published in Delhi each year offering clinching evidence of the increasing toxic risk due to the smog. Many of these studies have been carried out by doctors from leading hospitals. Over the years, they have widely reported prevalence of chronic respiratory symptoms. There has been an increase in emergency room visits during winter for asthma, chronic obstructive lung disease, and acute coronary event. The reports show the genotoxic effects of vehicular fumes and vitamin D deficiency among Delhi children.
According to the Global Burden of Disease report released last year, air pollution is the fifth largest killer in India. The WHO has classified air pollution as a class 1 carcinogen. An epidemiological study on children in Delhi carried out by the Central Pollution Control Board and the Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute of Kolkata in 2012 found that every third child has reduced lung function. The study found the sputum of Delhi’s children contains four times more iron-laden macrophages than those from cleaner environs, indicating pulmonary haemorrhage.
Significantly, in 2013, scientists from Jawaharlal Nehru University who had earlier reported a decline in the level of toxins like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons after the introduction of CNG programme and replacement of diesel buses, now say the levels have gone up again due to rising number of vehicles. They conclude that a maximum of 39,780 excess cancer cases might occur due to lifetime inhalation and exposure to the PAH concentrations.
The CSE says that soft options will not help Delhi. It is time for an aggressive battle against air pollution. Time-bound action against every source of pollution is needed to reduce the winter smog in Delhi. Restricting car usage, upgrading public transport with walking and cycling access, leapfrogging vehicle emissions standards to Euro V and Euro VI and reducing the number of diesel vehicles are urgent steps Delhi needs to take. In doing so, it could learn a lot from Beijing's experience.
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