India’s dirty dozen

The Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) may have adequate reasons to work up lather over a WHO report that lists Patiala among the world’s 20 worst polluted cities. The PPCB’s beef is that the WHO picked on just one measure of air pollutant concentrations — particulate matter pollution (PPM) of 2.5 — and it may well be correct. But there cannot be any argument with the rising trend of deaths due to pollution estimated at six lakh every year in India due to fine PPM in the air. We find ourselves surrounded by largely-unchecked major emitters of particulate matter 2.5 micrometres or less in size: power plants, industry, agriculture, transport and inefficient use of energy. Some years back, Khanna from Punjab was among the 20 cities in the WHO’s hall of infamy.

Pollution knows no state boundaries. The country needs to first admit that urban pollution is beyond all liveable norms. It needs no reiteration that the high concentration of suspended matter in the air leads to allergies and respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, ultimately contributing to erosion of household income and loss of crores of workdays. India may well be paying a higher cost on both these counts because of the rising pollution levels. The standard fare of tougher emission standards for industry and automobiles have prevented the problem from taking a turn for the worse. But millions of Indians are heading for premature death or avoidable illness because of a host of reasons of which high PPM is one.

The promise of 100 smart cities had raised visions of a comprehensive effort at unitedly tackling pollution’s multiple sources. That vision has since suffered a meltdown. It is encouraging that Punjab is taking serious steps to curb stubble burning. Like all states, its pollution control board (PCB) has a wide remit: from controlling modified silencers on bikes to thermal plant pollution. Regulators from the apex court to state PCBs have been actively engaged in checking pollution from all possible sources. But for the longer term, the Centre needs to implement its targets for green energy. India must move beyond rhetorical flourishes to actually give a good quality of life to its citizens.