NewDelhi, India has been plagued by dangerous levels of air pollution for years now, causing the city’s residents to suffer from health complications such as asthma, lung cancer, and respiratory illnesses. Up to 90 percent of the city’s air is considered unsafe for human health due to the presence of hazardous particles from industrial, vehicular, and other sources. With a population of over 21 million people, New Delhi is the world’s most polluted capital city.
It seems, there is a glimmer of hope for Delhi’s population as Beijing, China has made great strides in cleaning up its toxic air. Beijing’s air pollution levels have decreased by more than 40 percent since 2013, when the Chinese government implemented a series of strict air pollution controls. This includes severely limiting car use, shutting down polluting factories, and reducing the burning of coal.
But why can’t New Delhi adopt some of these same air pollution control measures? To start with, Delhi’s air pollution is largely due to its high population density of 18,000 people per square kilometer, making it 17 times denser than Beijing. This makes it difficult to reduce air pollution without disrupting essential public services. Additionally, Delhi is home to a large number of informal industries and households using coal for cooking and heating, making it difficult to monitor and control these sources of pollution.
Delhi’s government is continuing to take significant steps to reduce air pollution levels. A low-emission zone has been set up in the city, restricting the number of vehicles on the roads while also obstructing the entry of non-essential vehicles. Industrial and construction activities are also being regulated to reduce their emissions.
What Beijing demonstrates is that is that it is possible to reverse the damage done by air pollution. We can only hope that Delhi will soon follow in their footsteps and be able to clean up its toxic air.