Delhi’s air, a ‘wicked problem’ in need of bold solutions

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 3 –Environment (pollution) .

Introduction

Each winter, Delhi wakes to grey skies, closed schools, and AQI levels in the “severe” range, but this is not a seasonal inconvenience. It is a long-running public health, economic, and environmental crisis created by geography, weather patterns, urban choices, and everyday behaviour. Delhi’s air pollution is a “wicked problem” that needs coordinated, science-based and bold action across Delhi and the wider National Capital Region.

Cause of Delhi’s Air Problem

1. Geographical factor:

• Delhi lies in a basin-like formation flanked by the Aravalli hills, which restrict air flow and prevent pollutants from dispersing easily.
• Between October and January, high-pressure systems and temperature inversion trap cooler air and pollutants near the surface.
• Low wind speeds worsen this, turning Delhi into a closed bowl of stagnant, polluted air.

2. Vehicular emissions: Delhi NCR has over 3.3 crore registered vehicles. Diesel trucks, two-wheelers, and ageing buses emit nitrogen oxides and PM2.5. Even with BS-VI norms, enforcement is weak.
3. Construction-related emissions: Rapid urbanisation, unregulated construction, and poor dust control mean construction dust and debris contribute nearly 27% of PM2.5. Covering construction sites and following dust norms are often ignored.
4. Industrial Emissions : Factories and power plants in neighbouring States emit sulphur dioxide and other toxins, often using outdated technologies and minimal filtration.
5. Crop Residue Burning: Stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana each autumn sends large plumes of smoke into Delhi’s skies, despite court orders and subsidies for alternatives.
6. Firecrackers: Deepavali firecrackers, and even large-scale use of “green crackers” cause intense short-term spikes on top of already high baseline pollution.
7. Urban development strategy in India: The current strategy focuses on real estate development, a widening of roads and allowing large fuel guzzling vehicles which are major reasons for increased pollution.
8. Expansion of ‘Grey’ infrastructure: Water bodies, urban forests, green cover, and urban agriculture have all reported shrinkage, and “grey” infrastructure has seen rapid expansion.
9. Land use change: The handing over of open spaces to real estate developers and lack of any meaningful afforestation affects the city’s ecology.

Impact of Delhi’s Air Problem

1. Impact on Public health
   

• Long-term exposure to Delhi’s toxic air can reduce life expectancy by up to 10 years, especially in areas with consistently high particulate levels.
• Air pollution leads to multiple health conditions including respiratory infections, heart disease, Neurological disorders, Lung cancer, and Premature mortality
• As per the Global Burden of Disease comparative risk assessment for 2015, air pollution exposure contributes to approximately 1.8 million premature deaths and loss of 49 million disability adjusted life-years (DALYs) in India.

2. Economic loss and reputational damage

• Air pollution costs India about 1.36% of GDP annually, around $36.8 billion, due to health-care costs, lost productivity, and premature deaths.
• Delhi’s image as one of the world’s most polluted cities discourages international tourists and investors.
• Funds are increasingly diverted to emergency responses such as cloud seeding and domestic air purifiers, including for government offices, instead of addressing structural causes.

3. Environment impacts:

Acid Rain: Damages crops, natural vegetation, soil chemistry and leads to damage to ancient monuments (Taj Mahal Yellowing).

Eutrophication of water bodies: Increases nitrogen intake of freshwater bodies leading to Eutrophication.

Government Initiative

1. Cloud Seeding (Artificial Rain): Piloted with IIT Kanpur, three rounds were conducted in 2025 to temporarily reduce airborne particulate matter, although results were mixed due to weather constraints. The key reason for limited results was insufficient cloud moisture (only 15–20%), while successful cloud seeding typically requires 50% or more. High cloud bases (near 10,000 feet) also reduced effectiveness.
2. Crop Residue Management Scheme: Crop Residue Management (CRM) scheme which provides subsidy to farmers for buying ‘Turbo Happy Seeder‘, ‘Super SMS attachment’, ‘rotavators‘ and ‘superseeder’.
3. Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM): CAQM is a statutory body formed under the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas, Act 2021. CAQM has provided a framework to tackle the problem of air pollution due to stubble burning.
4. Initiatives to reduce Vehicular Pollution: The shift from BS-IV to BS-VI, push for Electric Vehicles (EVs), Odd-even Policy have all been implemented to reduce Vehicular pollution.
5. Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP): GRAP measures like shutting down thermal power plants and a ban on construction activities are implemented to curb air pollution.
6. Dust and construction controls: Mandatory deployment of anti-smog guns and water sprinklers at large buildings, construction sites, and hotspots; mist sprayers installed on electric poles at 13 major air pollution hotspots.a

Way forward

1. Unified Airshed Management Plan: Delhi and neighbouring NCR States need to plan for air as one shared system. A Unified Airshed Management Plan should treat Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan as a single pollution zone. Common standards, joint enforcement drives, and shared data can reduce blame-shifting and close gaps at borders.
2. Increase the AQI monitoring stations: The adequate numbers of AQI monitoring stations as mandated by the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) must be installed. Also, sensor based AQI monitoring units that give hyperlocal data must be set up.
3. Enhanced powers to the authorities to take action according to the hyperlocal data: It will help the authorities take pre-emptive actions and allow denser monitoring. For example, if it is found that construction is taking place in a certain pocket without following norms, the authorities can identify the location and immediately penalise the violators.
4. National Nodal Authority for Air pollution: India needs a nodal authority with constitutional powers to ensure collaborative pre-emptive action on air pollution with timelines for all stakeholders.
5. Stricter guidelines for industrial emissions: SEBI’s Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report (BRSR) framework can lay down tighter guidelines to ensure uniformity in the unit of reporting pollutant emissions, declaration of air pollution mitigation targets (like companies do for carbon emissions), and reporting of disaggregated emissions data. We must reduce exposure across the value chain from production to consumption to recycling of goods and delivery of services.
6. Making ‘Clean air’ an investment sector: The push for substitution of fossil fuels will increase investment opportunities in clean energy transition sector like green mobility, clean cooking. This will open up a new sector for investment and will help in reducing the air pollution simultaneously.
7. Increased use of Public transport and reduced dependence on private vehicles: The Delhi Master Plan target of 80 per cent of motorised trips by public transport by 2020 has not been met yet. The deadline has been shifted to 2041. This deadline needs to be met by augmenting the public transport system. The private vehicles use must be disincentivized by introducing ward-wise parking management area plans and parking tax.
8. Adapting tested global measures
   • Delhi can adapt measures used in London, Los Angeles, and Beijing. These include strict vehicle emission rules, cleaner fuels, relocation or upgradation of highly polluting industries, and limits on coal use in and around urban areas.

• Beijing’s multi-year plan, which cut PM2.5 by about 35% in five years, shows that focused, consistent efforts work.

9. Science-led action: Delhi needs a sustained, science-led strategy rather than scattered, emergency actions.

10 Transparency: Real-time air monitoring with public dashboards can build trust by showing what people are breathing and what is being done.

11. Citizen role: Citizen engagement through campaigns, school programmes, and community initiatives must reinforce that clean air is also a behavioural responsibility, not just a governance issue.

Conclusion

Delhi’s polluted air reflects structural choices, weak enforcement, and low priority for clean air, not an unavoidable winter pattern. Continuing with short-term, crisis-driven responses will deepen health, economic, and ecological damage. A coordinated, science-based, and citizen-backed approach can still transform Delhi’s air and prevent future generations from inheriting a permanent public health emergency.

Question for practice:

Examine the major causes of Delhi’s air pollution, the key government initiatives taken so far, and what more needs to be done to address the crisis.

Source: The Hindu