Why de-register diesel vehicles? Because toxic fumes are hurting you bad

Inhaling all those diesel fumes while standing in a mile-long traffic daily is hurting you a lot. Not only the short-term effects are really bad, they can cause some grievous long-term harms as well. The NGT order could not have come any sooner.

The National Green Tribunal asked Delhi traffic authorities on Monday to start de-registering all diesel vehicles that are more than 10 years old following complaints that a lack of implementation of judicial orders was hurting Delhi’s fight against pollution.

Diesel cars are more harmful for the environment as they have primitive pollution-control systems installed and emit more harmful gases than their newer variants. Vehicular exhaust comprises a big chunk of the air pollution that chokes the city.

Air pollution does more than trigger asthma and leave you breathless. Short-term exposure causes headaches, nausea and makes your eyes sting. Over time, chronic pollution can trigger heart attacks, stroke and cancers.

Track pollution in your city with this real-time air quality map

Source: World Health Organistaion, All India Institute of Medical Sciences