CSE’s latest study on Delhi’s pollution level Madan JhaNew Delhi: Even as Beijing cleans up its air for Olympics 2008, Delhi-the host of Commonwealth Games 2010-is blissfully unaware of the rising pollution level. Compared to Beijing, which will host the 2008 Olympics, Delhi has done very little to clear its air before it showcases the Commonwealth Games in 2010, says a latest Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) assessment of air pollution control measures undertaken in the two capital cities before these high profile sporting events. Both the cities face serious pressures to clean up their air; both have unique challenges. The Chinese capital has promised clean air during the Olympic Games so that the public health in the city can benefit from these efforts in the longer term, and is working towards it. But Delhi seems to lack Beijing’s scale, stringency and frenetic pace of action, says Anumita Roychowdhury, head of CSE’s Right to Clean Air Campaign. If environmental sustainability is integrated in the Games-related planning and infrastructure investments, Delhi’s environment and public health can benefit in the longer term, she points out. After seven years of consistent and aggressive efforts, Beijing still finds it difficult to ensure clean air throughout the year. But despite the odds, the city has succeeded in achieving 245 blue-sky days during 2007 and is on its way to meet a 256 blue-sky days target in 2008. On those days, all the key pollutants in the city’s air are expected to meet their national standards. CSE’s assessment of Delhi’s air quality has found that in ITO, which is close to the Commonwealth Games hub, levels of particulate matter less than 2.5-micron size (PM 2.5) could meet the national benchmark on 111 days only out of the total 307 days monitored in 2007. Levels of nitrogen dioxide, or NO2, fared worse: meeting the national benchmark on 95 days out of the total 330 days monitored in the same year. The assessment points out that with every breath, athletes typically take in 10-20 times more air – and thus, pollutants – as sedentary people. Already, the report of the Commonwealth Games Evaluation Commission, 2003, has stated that “mobility within Delhi is difficult and congested” and therefore, a “risk area”. It has further mentioned that the venues and the Games village will include “environmental considerations related to micro environment and other such parameters as air, water, and noise pollution”. Beijing, on its part, has done a lot. The city government unleashed aggressive reforms after it won the bid for the Olympic Games in 2001. The first city in China and second in developing Asia to phase in Euro IV standards, Beijing does not allow diesel cars and two-wheelers, has relocated polluting industry, and has controlled fugitive dust. These efforts have helped improve the number of blue-sky days, but Beijing can still not meet the air quality standards throughout the year. It finally had to pilot test removal of one million cars for four days during August 2007 to improve the air quality. The city may have to resort to this contingent plan during the Games. Rapidly rising number of cars is one of the key pushers of pollution in both Beijing and Delhi. That controlling personal vehicles does make a huge difference is most starkly evident from the example set by Shanghai. This booming city of China has adopted a system of auctioning a limited number of car licenses per month. This has helped the city to cap car registration at not more than 7,500 cars per month — or 250 cars per day. Beijing registers more than 1000 cars a day. The Shanghai system has prevented entry of nearly 1.8 million additional cars. The impact is evident in its air quality – in 2007, Shanghai scored 328 “excellent and good air quality days” as opposed to 245 in Beijing. Delhi has also taken action in nearly all sectors to control air pollution over the past decade. It has relocated polluting industries and introduced Euro II and Euro III standards. All its buses, three-wheelers and some of its taxis run on CNG; 15-year old commercial vehicles have been taken off the roads; transit freight traffic is restricted and controls on power plants are tighter. The city has also banned open burning of leaves, among other measures. But stringency, scale and enforcement remain weak. Delhi, in fact, is even on the verge of losing the gains of its first phase of action. The city, till date, has only stabilised pollution levels; meeting clean air standards presents a very difficult challenge as Beijing’s experience shows. Today, the rapidly rising numbers of personal vehicles meeting weak emissions standards is one of the key hindrances for clean air action in Delhi. “Soft options are all exhausted in Delhi.———-
