Contents
Introduction
Delhi’s annual PM2.5 levels remain nearly eight times the WHO limit, with an average AQI of 235 (2015–2025). Addressing its complex pollution crisis requires integrated pathways combining science-based governance, regulatory reform, and global learning.
Pathways Suggested for Improving Delhi’s Air Quality
- Strengthening Governance and Institutional Capacity: The SFC report highlights that India’s pollution management has long been externally driven—via PILs, Supreme Court directions and EPCA—rather than internally institutionalised. Resource-poor regulators: Only 5,941 of 12,016 sanctioned posts in SPCBs are filled; CPCB functions with 504 staff. This weakens ground-level compliance monitoring, environmental audits, and industrial inspections.
Pathway:
- Strengthen SPCBs through staffing, funding, and technological support (remote sensing, CEMS).
- Create mission-mode governance, similar to Beijing’s centralised approach to pollution reduction (2013–2017).
- Prioritising PM2.5 Over PM10: India’s NCAP focuses on PM10 reduction, largely because PM2.5 monitoring infrastructure is limited. Yet PM2.5 is more harmful, penetrating lungs, bloodstream, vital organs. WHO (2021) identifies PM2.5 as responsible for one-third of global pollution-linked deaths.
Pathway:
- Shift metrics to PM2.5 reduction.
- Expand monitoring stations and adopt source apportionment and airshed-level planning.
- Tackling Key Emission Sources: Delhi’s pollution arises from: Transport (38%), Industry and power plants, Biomass burning, Waste burning, Dust and Geographical trapping in the Indo-Gangetic airshed.
Pathway:
- EV transition (like Mexico City’s fleet).
- Strengthened Clean Fuel Mandates, vehicle inspection systems, and industrial relocation outside the airshed (as Beijing successfully did).
- Agricultural mechanisation and crop diversification to curb stubble burning.
- Science-Based Standards and Transparency: Mexico City adopted health-based standards, catalytic converters, unleaded fuels, metro expansion, and ProAire—a long-term action plan.
Pathway:
- Delhi needs predictable, time-bound, health-linked targets rather than ad-hoc seasonal actions.
- Public communication of health impacts to increase political salience.
Relevance of Global Case Studies with Similar Geography
- Mexico City (Valley Basin, Mountain-locked): Similar to Delhi’s position in the Indo-Gangetic Basin, Mexico City is surrounded by mountains that trap pollutants. Relevance: Demonstrates that even severe topographic disadvantages can be mitigated through: Coordinated multi-sector plan (ProAire), Fuel improvement, Mass transit expansion and Vehicle emissions standards. Delhi can adopt a similar multi-decadal, science-led programme.
- Beijing (Mountain-locked with Winter Inversions): Beijing reduced PM2.5 by 35% in 5 years (2013–17) through: Industrial relocation, Household coal bans, Heavy regulatory enforcement and Strict local and national targets. Relevance: shows that political will + whole-of-government mobilisation can overcome geographical constraints.
- Krakow, Poland (Civil Society-Led Reform): Despite EU standards, Poland lagged until civil society (PSA movement) pushed reforms. Relevance: Highlights the need for citizen pressure, decentralised accountability, and local action plans—critical for Delhi where political competition over pollution remains weak.
Critical Analysis
Global examples reveal that:
- Geography aggravates pollution but does not preclude success.
- Institutional capacity, political will, and scientific standards matter more than geography.
- Delhi lacks consistent national-local coordination, long-term planning, and strong enforcement—gaps which cities like Beijing and Mexico City overcame.
Conclusion
As the Lancet Commission stresses, air pollution control is a governance challenge, not a technological one. Learning from cities like Beijing and Mexico City can help Delhi institutionalise durable, science-driven, multisectoral reforms.
