Falling foul of the people

Major pollution control initiatives such as making CNG-fuelled public transport compulsory notwithstanding, 9 per cent Delhiites still rate pollution as an election issue.

Major pollution control initiatives — such as making CNG-fuelled public transport compulsory — notwithstanding, 9 per cent Delhiites still rate pollution as an election issue.

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Key indicators of air pollution — oxides of nitrogen, respirable suspended material, etc — are still above the permissible limit in most areas, says the Central Pollution Control Board. In fact, since the implementation of CNG eight years ago, nitrogen oxide has increased overall by 33 per cent, while the RSPM has increased by 21 per cent.

The culprit: more cars. The number of vehicles in Delhi has increased 57 per per cent in eight years to touch 58 lakh — highest for any Indian city.

The same applies for the Yamuna as well. Despite the Supreme Court’s intervention in early 2000 and the government spending thousands of crores, the Yamuna still remains one of the dirtiest rivers in the world, with Delhi’s fractional 22-km stretch contributing 70 per cent of the river’s total pollution load.