Delhi’s Air Pollution and Ways to Control It

Introduction

In India, especially in Delhi, air pollution is a significant public policy concern. The city's high

air pollution level is a significant issue that has long been detrimental to the health and happiness

of its residents. (Arpan, 2020) In order to analyze the problem, two theories are used in this

essay, along with an examination of the problem's scope and the key players and institutions

involved. A five-step decision-making matrix will be used in the second half, solutions will be

created and prioritized using a generic outcomes matrix, and each solution will be given a

feasibility score. The chosen solution will then be defended, and its relationship to political

ideologies will be investigated in the last part of the essay.

Scale of Public Policy Problem

In Delhi, air pollution is a significant issue affecting public policy. According to the study,

Delhi's average PM2.5 concentration was 98.6 g/m3, more than ten times the World Health

Organization's recommendation of 10 g/m3. PM2.5 is a small, airborne particle that may deeply

enter the bloodstream and lungs. (Arpan, 2020) As a result, it can lead to a variety of health

issues, including respiratory and cardiovascular conditions as well as early mortality.

Additionally, air pollution has detrimental effects on the environment and the economy,

including harm to infrastructure, crops, and buildings and a decline in tourism and foreign

investment. (Beniwa, 2020)

Major Actors and Institutions

The government, business, people, and civil society organisations are the main players in Delhi's

air pollution problem. In order to reduce air pollution, the government must develop and put into

effect regulations and policies. Corruption, bureaucratic incompetence, and a lack of political

will have made it difficult to enforce regulations. The industrial and transportation industries in

particular are significant contributors to industry-related air pollution. It is the duty of citizens to

take steps to reduce their own impact on air pollution, such as using public transportation,

carpooling, and consuming less energy. Civil society organisations have been actively promoting

stricter regulations to reduce air pollution and raise awareness of the problem.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC),

the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, and the National Green Tribunal are

among the principal organizations actively involved in combating air pollution in Delhi. While

the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change develops laws and regulations to

combat air pollution, the CPCB and DPCC are in charge of monitoring and controlling the

quality of the air in Delhi. (UNECE, 2020) A specialized court that hears claims involving

environmental concerns, such as air pollution, is the National Green Tribunal.

Application of Theories

The rational choice theory and elite theory are two theories that may be used to analyse the

problem of air pollution in Delhi. The rational choice theory makes the assumption that people

weigh costs and advantages rationally before making decisions. Because complying with laws

may be more expensive than the advantages, rational choice theory can help explain why some

people or businesses decide to disregard air pollution restrictions. (Sonwani & Saxena, 2019) For

instance, some firms may decide that paying penalties for non-compliance is less expensive than

spending money on pollution prevention measures.

On the other side, elite theory holds that power is concentrated in the hands of a tiny elite group,

which leads them to make decisions that are in their best interests rather than those of the larger

population. (Arpan, 2020) In the case of Delhi's air pollution, elite theory might assist in

explaining why the government has been hesitant to take action to limit pollution since strong

industrial lobbying groups may have a say in how policies are decided. Because they are not a

member of the elite group, the civil society organizations and the general public may only have a

limited ability to influence policy.

Air Quality in Delhi: Key Factors

The geography of the city of Delhi says that it is landlocked. There is an issue of crop burning in

nearby states (i.e., Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan), extensive building, vehicle emissions and

industrial pollutants, activity are the main reasons of alarmingly levels of air pollution in Delhi.

(Arpan, 2020)

Crop Burning

The NCT of Delhi is surrounded by land with the states of UP, Haryana, and Rajasthan. Burning

of crops is a pertainant issue in Haryana and Punjab as there is abundant farming of rice and

wheat resulting in air pollution in Delhi as the remains of the rice stocks and straws after harvest

are burned usually known as paddy burning in order to clean up the field. Burning often peaks

around the first week of November, when many farmers burn remaining rice stalks and straw

after harvest, a practice known as stubble or paddy burning, which is a practical way to clean up

fields.(Arpan, 2020) A thick blanket of haze covers the Northern Plains, including Delhi NCR, as

the new harvest season gets underway and paddy is burned extensively.
On 10.5 million hectares (26 million acres), farmers in the Indian states of Haryana, Punjab,

Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh cultivate rice. This results in an annual production of straw of

roughly 48 million tones, of which 39 million tones are burned. (Beniwal, 2020) Due to a

number of factors, such as the sorts of seeds used and governmental laws that promote late

harvesting in order to conserve groundwater, the issue has grown increasingly serious.

Industrial Pollution

The majority of India's small-scale enterprises are concentrated in Delhi. According to

evaluations done by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), highly polluting industrial

clusters that exceed air, water, and soil emission limitations are both inside and beyond the

nation's capital. In the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR), which has 3,182 industries,

industrial pollution contributes to the region's poor air quality by roughly 18.6%.(Beniwal, 2020)

Over industrial areas close to the busiest roadways, emissions in the range of 200–1000 tonnes

per year are seen. The Union government's ineffective carbon price strategy makes the issue

worse. Major companies have shifted to more affordable fossil fuel-based alternatives in order to

escape the carbon tax, which is only imposed on coal.

The Supreme Court prohibited the use of boiler oil and petroleum coke in the NCR in 2017,

much to the relief of the capital area, and recommended that other States follow suit. These same

fuels are still utilized in adjacent states, where their emissions are a factor in the air quality index

for Delhi.

Vehicular Emissions
Delhi's largest source of PM2.5 emissions, accounting for 28% of all emissions, is the

transportation sector. The majority of the nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide in Delhi's air are

likewise contributed by vehicles, accounting for 80% of each. According to data on traffic

pollution in Delhi, automobiles and buses each contribute 3% of the city's emissions, while

trucks and tractors contribute 9%, two-wheelers 7%, three-wheelers 5%, and light commercial

vehicles 1%. All, these automobiles provide 41% of Delhi's overall pollution burden. (Outlook

India, 2019)

Construction

The construction sites produce a large amount of pollutants in the Delhi NCR area. Around 360

brick kilns are located largely in the Jhajjar, Faridabad, and Ghaziabad regions on the fringes of

the National Capital Territory, with the months of December to June being the busiest. As a

result of the winds being considerably stronger and the gases not remaining suspended in one

area throughout the summer and spring, their emissions increase during the winter. ‘Smog’ is a

poisonous combination of fine pollutants resulting from construction activities.

Possible Solutions

1. Promote the usage of public transportation and the deployment of electric automobiles.

2. Put rigorous guidelines in place for industrial emissions, with severe penalties for non-

compliance.

3. Encourage the use of green energy sources like wind and solar energy.

4. Increase the amount of trees and other vegetation in the city.

5. Establish an entry-level congestion fee for private automobiles.

TABLE: Evaluate Solutions Using a Generic Outcomes Matrix (Outlook India, 2019)

Political
Solution Cost Time Impact on Air Quality/Public Health
Feasibility

1 Medium Short High High

2 High Long Low High

3 High Long Medium High

4 Low Medium High Medium

5 High Long Low Low

In terms of local sources of pollution, it is clear that, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE)

conducted a study as per which the largest, largest portion of Delhi's PM 2.5 levels are due to

vehicular emission. The best alternative, according to the criteria, is Solution 1, which calls for

fostering the use of electric cars and fostering the usage of public transportation. It has a strong

impact on public health and air quality, a medium cost, a rapid implementation time, and

political viability. But in order to maximise the advantages of solution 1, solution 3 must be

implemented simultaneously. (Krishna, 2022)

Feasibility Score (Implementability)

Given that it can be executed quickly and is politically possible, option 1 receives a high grade

for feasibility. Through a mix of incentives, such as tax breaks and subsidies for electric vehicles,

and enhancing the public transportation infrastructure, it is possible to promote the use of public
transportation and encourage the use of electric vehicles. Electric vehicles (EVs) powered by

batteries have no exhaust (or tailpipe) emissions since they run solely on energy. According to

various studies, one of Delhi's and other major Indian cities' biggest causes of air pollution is

transportation.

Over the past few years, government organizations in India have promoted electric vehicles. As a

result of extremely high levels of air pollution, the Delhi government has also exempted EVs

from driving restrictions. These actions are part of a larger national push for electric mobility,

including the introduction of the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme to promote

localization of EV cell manufacturing in India and the national-level FAME II subsidy

programme for EVs, which has been strengthened by the notification of an EV Policy by 20

states.(Krishna, 2022) EVs have the potential to lower carbon emissions, overall vehicle

ownership costs, air pollution emissions, gasoline imports, and other pollutants.

Opportunity Cost/Tradeoff Analysis

The potential loss of revenue from the automotive and transportation industries as well as the

price of building the necessary infrastructure for electric vehicles and public transit are the

opportunity costs of adopting option 1. Additionally, merely switching over to EVs from existing

vehicles won't be enough. EVs may raise not just upstream emissions but also potentially non-

exhaust pollutants. There are two key criteria that affect whether and how much EVs result in net

benefits for pollution reduction.

Exporting emissions elsewhere

First, even if EVs reduce pollutants at the exhaust stage, they are instead moved upstream to the

step of power production. Since thermal energy is used to power EVs, this results in a change in

the location of vehicle exhaust emissions from locations with high vehicle densities to areas

where thermal power is produced, effectively exporting emissions from urban areas to other

regions of the nation. In actuality, the energy source mix from which an EV draws its electricity

at any given time impacts the amount of emissions that are created to power the EV. The

composition of the energy source is very context-dependent and can change based on the

location and the charging time. For instance, compared to an EV charging at night, an EV

charging during the day is expected to get a considerably greater proportion of its energy from

renewable sources, such as solar. The installed capacity of these power sources and their use

place restrictions on how much of each source may be used. Particularly in India, about 80% of

the country's energy still comes from fossil fuels. Considering how difficult it has been for the

nation to implement pollution control systems, emissions from these facilities mostly remain

unabated. According to studies, India would likely be a beneficiary as the air pollution emissions

from ICE vehicles, would decrease if there is a switch to EVs along with a cleaner and greener

energy source in coming times. However, if there is a failure in incorporation of more energy

renewable sources and installation of technology for pollution control, the advantages would be

minimal.(Karkun, 2021)

Non-exhaust emissions could increase

Secondly, non-exhaust emissions are not also eliminated by EVs. Brake wear, tyre wear, road

wear, and dust resuspension are the four categories of non-exhaust emissions that have been

found. The parameters “the state of the vehicular weight, pavement, road surface humidity, and
speed, and climate variables such as humidity, temperature, silt on the road and rainfall” all play

a part in determining the emissions due to resuspension, while friction is in charge of the

emissions resulting from wear. (Beniwal, 2020)

It's obvious that switching from ICEVs to EVs 1:1 won't likely result in a major improvement in

air quality in general. The amount of air pollutants displaced during EV charging might be

greatly reduced by increasing the production of electricity from sources of renewable energy and

encouraging charging at periods when this power is available. (Outlook India, 2019)

If effectively implemented, dust mitigation measures might result in a substantial reduction in

non-exhaust emissions. Furthermore, it's critical to avoid seeing EVs as a one-size-fits-all

approach to reducing vehicle emissions. It is clear that a transition away from the current

mobility paradigm is required given the importance of non-exhaust emissions and how the nearly

continual increase of the vehicle population negates the benefits of higher emissions regulations.

Any future vision of mobility should place a strong emphasis on promoting and integrating non-

motorized and public transit, with EVs acting as a backup plan.

However, assuming that the more environmentally friendly forms of energy generation are also

implemented concurrently for example, solar power generating, as referenced in solution 3 the

advantages of enhanced air quality and public health exceed the possible costs.

Values and Policymaking

The selected course of action demonstrates a dedication to advancing environmentally friendly

and sustainable policies. Additionally, it is consistent with the notion that environmental issues

must be addressed by both individuals and organizations, as well as the significance of public

health and wellbeing.

Ways to Advance the Solution

The Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles (FAME II) programme, which has

been updated, the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) programme for Advanced Chemistry Cells

(ACC), which is aimed at suppliers, and the recently introduced PLI programme for Auto and

Automotive Components, which is aimed at electric vehicle manufacturers, are just a few of the

actions taken by the Indian government to develop and promote the EV ecosystem in the nation.

Nitin Gadkari, the minister for roads and highways, said in the Parliament in March 2022 that the

number of two-wheeler electric vehicles (EVs) increased by 422% between 2019-2020 and

2020-2021, three-wheelers by 75%, and four-wheelers by 230%. More than 1,200% more

electric buses are now on the road. The local EV manufacturing sector is anticipated to benefit

greatly from the drive for EVs in terms of employment generation. (Krishna, 2022)

In addition, EVs are anticipated to reinforce the grid and aid in accommodating a larger

penetration of renewable energy sources while ensuring safe and reliable grid operation through

a variety of grid support services.

On both sides of the roads, the Ministry of Power has mandated the presence of at least one

charging station in a grid of three kilometers and every 25 km.

In accordance with the Model Building Bye-laws, 2016 (MBBL), the Ministry of Housing and

Urban Affairs of India has ordered that 20% of the parking spaces in both residential and

commercial buildings be designated for EV charging stations. Developing nations should take

note of this precedent. (Sonwani & Saxena, 2019)

Moreover, both for two- and four-wheeled vehicles, subsidies are currently at their maximum

levels for advancing the EV boost.

The selected solution can also be promoted via a number of different strategies, such as door-to-

door contact, political lobbying, and social media campaigns, in addition to the ones we've

already covered above. To spread awareness of the problem and encourage the government to

act, civil society organizations and concerned people can also participate in open protests and

rallies.

Conclusion

With serious effects on people's health, the environment, and the economy, Delhi's high air

pollution level is a significant issue in public policy. Government, business, people, and civil

society organizations are some of the main players and organizations tackling the problem. In

order to analyze the problem and come up with answers, the five-step decision-making matrix

can be employed, along with rational choice theory and elite theory. The ideal approach entails

increasing the use of electric vehicles and public transportation, which may be accomplished

through a mix of incentives and improved infrastructure. An all-encompassing strategy is needed

to address the serious problem of air pollution. Industrial emissions, traffic congestion, building

activities, and waste management are a few of the causes of Delhi's air pollution problem.

Electric vehicle (EV) adoption can undoubtedly help to lessen the transportation sector's carbon

footprint and improve air quality.

Compared to conventional petrol- or diesel-powered vehicles, EVs are more environmentally

friendly and sustainable. Along with other pollutants like particulate matter, nitrogen oxide, and

sulphur dioxide, they cause much fewer greenhouse gas emissions. EVs are only as

environmentally friendly as the power source that charges them, though. Promoting renewable

energy sources like solar and wind power for the production of electricity is therefore essential if

EVs are to reach their full potential.

Even if the use of EVs is essential, it only represents a portion of the answer. A comprehensive

strategy is needed to reduce air pollution, one that targets emissions from businesses and power

plants, tightens laws on vehicle emissions, encourages biking and public transit, and encourages

the use of electric vehicles (EVs). A possible answer to Delhi's air pollution issue is the switch to

electric vehicles, to sum up. To establish a sustainable and healthy environment for everybody, it

is crucial to address the root causes of air pollution. Policymakers may attempt to lessen the

effects of air pollution and enhance public health by taking a comprehensive strategy.
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