A consistent response: On air pollution responses in Delhi

Every year, the first instance of the air quality index (AQI) vaulting to hazardous levels in Delhi is a bugle for pandemonium. On Monday (November 18, 2024), official measurements reported an average AQI of 488, with some private stations reporting over a 1,000. While all these stations do not follow a consistent reporting framework, what is unambiguous is that despite all the analysis of the causes of pollution in the national capital, the political response and the crores invested in measurement and improvising technology fixes, the system is unable to contain episodes of ‘severe’ pollution or when the AQI crosses 400. Official data suggest that since 2016, there have only been two years when the number of ‘severe’ days was in the single digits. The number of ‘poor’ days (AQI over 200) in the same period has declined from 200 in 2016 to 121 in 2024, with the worst yet to come for this year. This further underlines that meteorological conditions will continue to play an outsized role in tipping over the air quality in Delhi, from the concerning to the catastrophic. Unlike from even five years ago, there is a wealth of publicly available analytical tools – private and public sources that can track, even at a daily level, the sources of pollution. Thus a week back, stubble burning or farm fires from Punjab may have been a prominent source, but behind the latest spikes lie ‘household’ sources and ‘road dust’. However despite such nuanced understanding and the creation of empowered bodies such as the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), which is tasked with coordinating a response involving not just Delhi but also surrounding States, there is no attempt by the Centre and the Delhi government to allay public consternation. Both central Ministers in Delhi who are responsible for the environment are away, coordinating election work in Maharashtra and addressing the 29th Conference of Parties in Baku, respectively. The Delhi Ministers cite faulty satellite data from Punjab to show that fires are down or bandy stop-gap solutions such as ‘cloud seeding’.

The CAQM chooses not to engage except when it is getting lambasted by the Supreme Court of India, furthering the impression that it is a toothless body with little independence or gumption. Addressing stubble burning, which is a problem only in mid-November, is easier than tackling road dust, which is a perennial problem all through the year. The air quality gains from road dust are significant but of limited, immediate political gains. For the state to be seen as serious about tackling the crisis, it must consistently communicate its intent and rise above politics.