Choking on our own indifference

The spotlight might be on Delhi, but the problem of suffocating pollution has gripped the entire country — be it Patna, Gwalior, Mumbai or other cities. Across the board, mornings now begin with people obsessively checking the AQI (air quality index) like it’s some sort of daily weather report.

It’s not even just the metros — whether it’s Hanumangarh in Rajasthan near the Pakistan border, Baddi in Himachal Pradesh or Mandideep near Bhopal — stepping out for ‘fresh air’ feels like dragging dozens of cigarette puffs straight into your lungs. Tragically, our approach to fighting pollution is as futile as mopping a floor with the tap left running.

Instead of merely nudging the government to wake up, it’s high time we wake up ourselves. Over the past three decades, countless efforts to tackle pollution have either failed or flopped, while air quality has only worsened. This year, on 4 October 2024, even before winter’s infamous smog season set in, the Supreme Court demanded answers from the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on how it planned to control the winter surge in pollution. That’s when Delhi’s government unveiled its latest magic trick under the guise of a ‘Winter Plan’ — artificial rain.

This is the same city that previously flaunted odd–even car rules and smog towers as solutions for pollution. But the smog towers, built for crores of rupees, are now lying abandoned, gathering dust. This time, the government is hailing artificial rain as the ultimate remedy. However, this so-called fix comes with its own Pandora’s box of complications.

Artificial rain involves spraying silver iodide and other chemicals from airplanes, mimicking cloud seeding to create ice particles.

These particles help clouds accumulate moisture and eventually cause rainfall. But here’s the catch: this process only works if atmospheric humidity is at least 40 per cent. Even then, the rain it produces is short-lived. Worse, there’s a real risk that pollutants like smog and suspended particles will settle back on the ground.

That’s not all — if silver iodide-laced particles settle on the ground, they can harm plants, animals and even water bodies. Although CNG vehicles are now widely used, particularly in Delhi-NCR, the artificial rain could interact with emissions from these vehicles, potentially causing a whole new disaster. CNG combustion releases nitrogen oxides (NOx), which can combine with water in the air to produce acid rain.

Earlier this year, in April 2024, cloud seeding experiments in the UAE led to severe flooding in several areas, with videos of submerged cars in Dubai going viral. Now imagine something similar happening in Delhi or elsewhere during November–December, when the city is already on edge. The result would be nightmarish — vehicles stuck in waterlogged streets, spewing even more pollutants into the air.

Additionally, such artificial rain could disrupt weather patterns, causing droughts in other areas or triggering a surge in viruses due to changes in temperature and air quality.

In summary, artificial rain might temporarily mask the problem in one region but it risks sparking new crises like droughts and disease outbreaks elsewhere.

What’s really polluting the air?

Around 43 per cent of Delhi’s nasty air pollution comes from dust and medium-sized particulate matter. Vehicular emissions contribute another 17 per cent, while petcoke — a petroleum residue used as fuel — accounts for 16 per cent. Other culprits include burning garbage and pollen.

A recent survey by the CSIR (Council of Scientific & Industrial Research) and the CRRI (Central Road Research Institute) revealed that Delhi’s traffic jams cause vehicles to burn 1.5 times more fuel than usual, which means even more toxic fumes added to the already polluted air. The safe limit for ozone in the air is 100 AQI, but Delhi’s average stands at a jaw-dropping 190. Ozone, formed when hydrocarbons from vehicle emissions mix with high temperatures, is a silent killer that damages the lungs, heart and brain.

To make matters worse, vehicular emissions also release PM2.5 particles and nitrogen oxides, which are directly linked to rising deaths from respiratory issues.

Ignoring court orders, flouting rules

In 2017, the Supreme Court banned the use of petcoke in industrial furnaces in Delhi-NCR due to its high carbon emissions. But enforcement is laughable at best. Industries in nearby Ghaziabad use it without restraint, even when pollution reaches emergency levels. Diesel generators, despite restrictions, are still running unchecked.

Instead of prioritising public transport, people prefer their private vehicles. On average, cars carry only 2.5 passengers, while buses transport more than 20. Yet buses are sidelined, and the roads remain flooded with over 12.5 million vehicles daily.

Ironically, CNG vehicles — once touted as eco-friendly — are now a major contributor to toxic emissions. Electric vehicles, too, come with hidden environmental costs: nanoparticles from tyre wear and acid from batteries are silently poisoning the air.

The government’s obsession with boosting vehicle sales is driven purely by economics. More vehicles mean more road tax collection, fuel sales and loans for banks. Even the lack of parking spaces is clearly not a disincentive — it doesn’t seem to bother car owners enough. In contrast, the city-state of Singapore and world cities like London have made owning cars prohibitively expensive. In older parts of China, electric trolleys reduce congestion and pollution. But India seems unwilling to adopt such forward-thinking measures.

Instead, we’re busy selling air purifiers, electric vehicles and other band-aid solutions, completely ignoring the root causes of pollution.

At this point, there’s no shortcut to tackling pollution. Public transport must be prioritised, and individuals need to take responsibility for their choices. Without self-discipline and systemic changes, we’re just rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.