Lessons from Delhi on What Not to Do

Mumbai is facing concerning levels of air pollution, similar to Delhi, due to the lack of emission reduction targets and inadequate policies. The city must implement caps on emissions, promote electric public transportation, enforce pollution regulations, and enhance data disclosure to address the issue effectively.

In less than a month since the withdrawal of monsoon, Mumbai has found itself thrust into spotlight due to concerning air pollution levels, drawing parallels with the long-standing struggles faced by Delhi in combating this pressing issue. The media, public, and regulatory authorities responded to air pollution episodes, resulting in a plethora of actions from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB). However, some appear to be mere symbolic gestures rather than genuine solutions.

Lessons from Delhi on What Not to Do

The northern regions of India, particularly Delhi, have grappled with air pollution for decades, witnessing annual episodes of visible pollution. However, air pollution, the invisible menace, lingers year-round, except during the monsoon when rain temporarily washes away airborne pollutants.

The primary reason behind the recurring air pollution menace in cities like Delhi and Mumbai is the overwhelming accumulation of pollutant emissions, with no overarching policy in India that places a cap on emissions for various sectors, cities, or regions.

The National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), announced by the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEF&CCC), falls short in this regard, lacking emission load reduction targets for cities, states, or the nation.

While the introduction of BS VI fuel and vehicles has reduced emissions from the transportation sector, the absence of reliable and efficient electric vehicle (EV) powered public transportation and non-motorized transport infrastructure still compels private vehicle usage, resulting in increased fuel consumption and higher emissions. Delhi’s experience illustrates the pitfalls of selective policy interventions, such as the introduction of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) for public transportation in the early 2000s, which initially decreased emissions but was eventually outweighed by the surge in private vehicle numbers.

Delhi also serves as a cautionary tale for cities like Mumbai, emphasizing the importance of a holistic approach rather than selective sectoral actions. While Delhi focused on reducing transport sector emissions in the early 2000s, it simultaneously allowed polluting industries and coal-based power stations in the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) airshed to expand, increasing their production, fuelled by polluting fossil fuels. More than 75% operational capacity of coal-based power generation in 300 km radius of Delhi has been installed after 2007. This unchecked growth in coal-based power generation capacity, without adequate emission control technology, substantially increased emissions in the region. Similarly, many districts in Delhi-NCR saw an increase in small and medium-scale industries, contributing to escalating emissions from the industrial sector. The expansion of private vehicle usage, unregulated industrial growth, and power generation without efficient emission controls, compounded by the absence of emission load caps, resulted in hazardous air pollution levels.

For Mumbai, the recent announcements from MPCB, including the closure of polluting industries and directives to Tata Power and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Infrastructure Limited to reduce their operations by 50%, provide a glimmer of hope. These steps indicate a more synchronised approach to managing emissions for air quality governance in Mumbai. Nonetheless, these actions may be short-lived unless mid-term and long-term emission load reduction targets are clearly specified in the city and state clean air action plans.

While there have been positive developments in addressing industrial pollution, the construction and transportation sectors remain significant contributors to high air pollution levels. The need for new construction is undeniable, but these sectors require improved regulation, strict enforcement, and measures to reduce fugitive dust emissions and dust emissions from construction and demolition waste.

To avoid repeating the mistakes of Delhi-NCR, Mumbai must take the following steps:

1. Implement emission load caps and progressive emission reduction targets for all polluting sectors within the city and its broader airshed.

2. Promote renewable energy-powered electric public transportation systems and enhance non-motorized transportation infrastructure to discourage private vehicle usage.

3. Establish an air quality forecasting system to enable proactive measures to reduce emissions rather than relying on reactionary approaches like anti-smog towers and smog guns.

4. Enforce pollution regulations within the construction sector, ensuring that pollution emissions are contained at construction sites.

5. Enhance public data disclosure regarding emissions from all operating industries in the airshed around Mumbai to bolster accountability for both polluting industries and regulatory authorities.

Mumbai has the potential to lead the way in charting a sustainable path towards clean air, learning from the challenges faced by Delhi and making informed, holistic decisions to safeguard the well-being of its residents and the environment.

Sunil Dahiya is an Analyst with Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), an independent research organisation, which uses scientific data, research and evidence to support the efforts of governments, companies and campaigning organizations worldwide in their efforts to move towards clean energy and clean air.