Beguiled by the AQI rope trick as pollution grows

WE have psyched ourselves into being AQI worshippers. Its numbers, going up and down, hold us in thrall like a good rope trick. So mesmerized are we that forgotten are the grimmer realities of air pollution, the real challenges of bringing it under control — the damage to public health, the cost to the economy and the poor standing it gives India globally. For all the measures taken thus far in relation to automobiles and fuels and the standards set for industry, air pollution continues to swamp cities big and small and rural areas as well. So, what’s going on? Better ways forward are required, but first it is important to know the reasons for air pollution’s unchecked rise.  

Our cover story this month presents data from iForest, the environmental NGO, which shows that burning of biomass and coal is one of the major sources of PM 2.5 air pollution. People continue to use open fires for cooking and keeping warm. There is also the burning of garbage and from the fields comes smoke resulting from stubble burning. This matches seasonal variations in pollution levels. It also underlines the need for re-envisioning cities in the regional contexts to which they belong. In Delhi’s case, for instance, just 40 percent or so of the pollution comes from within and the rest flows to it from surrounding areas. Indian cities are also a complex mix of rich and poor. Incentivizing households to make the transition to cleaner fuels for cooking and keeping warm is crucial to cleaning up. 

Better-informed governance is needed and that should include empowering local authorities to deal with pollution and its sources and create meaningful citizen awareness. Tackling air pollution is both a challenge and an opportunity. Done well it can transform public health and the quality of life both in urban and rural settings. It can also address the many needs of smaller Indian cities which struggle with the lack of finances and expertise. As urbanization spreads, they need to be bolstered.

Construction workers get a raw deal in our cities. But what is truly shocking is that a fund created for their welfare out of a cess levied on projects has been lying mostly dormant or misused. We have a detailed interview with Debanjan Chakrabarti, vice-president of the Construction Workers Federation of India.

Stories from around the country include K.S. Gopal, a founder of the Deccan Development Society, turning whistleblower and demanding greater accountability from the organization. In case you want to know what to do with your old clothes, check out our Living section. Also, read all our regular columnists with their insights and of course our products and volunteering pages.