Delhi pollution: Nero is playing flute when Rome is burning

You might have heard the oft quoted proverb that Nero was playing flute when Rome was burning. It portrays a situation when the ruler of a state is busy with his whimsical personal entertainment and not so essential affairs when the state and people are in a dire need for his attention.

The national capital of Delhi is in crisis. This crisis is crippling the life and life expectancy of the two crore citizens and residents of Delhi. It is a severe health emergency which is gripping Delhi’s people and chocking their lungs. We have heard of the infamous gas-chambers used by Nazis to kill the Jews by throwing them in these sealed gas-chambers and the deadly gas in which a poisonous  or  asphyxiant gas is introduced. The people subjected to these gas chambers die in few hours.

People are suffering and dying slowly

The only difference between these gas chambers and Delhi smog is that in the case of Delhi, people are suffering and dying slowly. The smog and pollution of Delhi has brought to a halt the whole working of the vibrant capital of our nation.

The smog in and around Delhi is a blend of toxic gases with a high concentration of nano-particles, which are responsible for respiratory and other health related problems risking the lives of people particularly those with ailments and low immunity. Apart from the smog we can see, there are several other toxic gases in the atmosphere that are completely invisible to us!

As the levels of VOCs, Sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide and ground level ozone are very high when one is on the roads of Delhi, these roads are live gas chambers.

Smoking 25 cigarettes every single day

Living in Delhi is be equal to smoking 25 cigarettes every single day. So, it hardly matters if you are a smoker or a non-smoker, if you are in Delhi you are a smoker. Even a new born baby is a smoker smoking poison equal to 25 cigarettes! How can our Delhi government be so ruthless, heartless and callous?

As per one study, Delhi Pollution claims the lives of more than 10000 people every year. Winter season is especially bad in Delhi and shows an increase in pollution induced illness. According to a World Health Organisation ( WHO )survey of 1,650 world cities, and a survey of 7,000 world cities by the US-based  Health Effects Institute  in August 2022, Delhi is the worst of any major city in the world. In Delhi, poor quality air irreversibly damages the lungs of 2.2 million or 50 percent of all children. In many areas in NCR, the AQI has worsened to 500 which are hazardous as per WHO and all standards.

This pollution of Delhi is a manmade health disaster which also forced the Hon’ble  Supreme Court of India on 25 November 2019 to comment frustratingly that Delhi has become worse than  narak  (hell)". The Hon’ble Justice Sh.  Arun Mishra  said that it is better to get explosives and kill everyone.

Manmade disaster

This manmade disaster has reasons which goes far beyond the boundaries of Delhi and stems primarily from the stubble burning by the farmers of Punjab which incidentally is ruled by the same political dispensation which is ruling Delhi. The major reason which accounts for 45% of worsening the AQI is the burning of stubble by farmers in Punjab and neighbouring states. The same Delhi-model of development is being extended to the agrarian state of Punjab. Earlier, the whole blame was being shifted to Punjab by the AAP supremo and the Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Now, since there is also the government of AAP and its inefficient and poor handing of the stubble of the farm-residue, Kejriwal is shifting his goal post of blames to other reasons and causes.

What is the use of this kind of development-model when you are not able to give even clean and poor air to your own citizens. As per one study, one lakh people die in Delhi due to air pollution which comes to 274 people per day which is one person each five minutes!  This issue of smog where AQI is above 500 is a very serious health issue. In many Western European countries, schools are shut if the AQI touches above 100.

People are suffering. Pollution in Delhi needs both short term and long-term solutions. But, the political regime in Delhi is just indulging in blame game. Delhi is burning while CM is in electioneering. Even the CM of Punjab is spending most of his time in Gujarat. It is a complete failure of Delhi Model and Punjab Model, if we call them models.

There have not been any talks or meeting of these two states over the issue of how to tackle the menace of smog. None of the same political party ruled dispensation is ready to tell as what is the percentage of government spending in stubble management? How many farmers were educated? Can anyone tell that why there are no or a few incidents of stubble burning in other states?

Ironically the expenditure on the advertisement of the much hyped smog-dispeller machines installed in Delhi was three times higher than the actual expenditure on installing the machine. This is the worst health disaster India is facing. It needs serious attention and not just political gimmickry.

The writer is an independent commentator. Views are personal.

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