Delhi is choking with the burden of pollution that is eroding the health of the city. India is the second-most populous country in the world and # 1 in terms of air pollution. All but one of the top ten most polluted cities in the World Health Organization (WHO) are in India (Bamenda, Cameroon). Consider how many people are exposed to toxic air.

The Delhi-based Environmental Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) declared Air Pollution a Public Health Emergency on November 1, 2019. This statement recognizes the harmful effects of pollution on human health. It did not define a 'public health emergency', identified the length, and provided lengthy systemic adjustments, although it did establish specific policies to reduce pollution levels and prevent unnecessary exposure to humans.

Although the current crisis in Delhi stems from the external costs of rapid urban and economic progress in a changing climate, it is exacerbated by a lack of democratic will and coordination in the federal state, which is not appropriate for ease. Controlling air pollutants. The EPCA shines as a beacon between failed human health and the fog of public administration.

Health effects of air pollution:

Air pollution is the main reason for the development of preventable non-communicable diseases (NCDs): every year, it kills four million people worldwide. Air pollution is responsible for 29% of deaths and illnesses worldwide, 17% for lung cancer, 17% for acute lower respiratory infections, and 25% for heart disease.

In addition to having a direct impact on various health care outcomes, air pollution has indirect effects on other important health factors. For example, people may not be able to walk or work outside during office hours due to dangerous levels of air pollution. Every aspect of a person’s health is affected.

NCDs related to ambient air pollution in Delhi is much higher than the world average (see Exhibit 1), resulting in hundreds of thousands of premature deaths every year across India. Roads in neighboring states of Punjab and Haryana, poor industries, some road vehicles, neighboring states of Punjab and Haryana (unwanted but cluttered crop), and the use of fireworks in Delhi's Particulate Matter (PM) with annual festivals are all major contributors. . ) Levels.

Exhibition 1: Delhi Air Pollution: Public Highway 44 in Delhi on November 3, 2019

To predict the Delhi disaster in early November, the surrounding PM levels are not only safe to breathe but also higher than the level used to record their survival. On November 2, the maximum allowable 999 micrograms per cubic meter (MCM) of PM10 and PM2.5 in some parts of the Delhi metropolis averaged 693 cm for 24 hours and 288 cm for PM10 and PM2.5, respectively. Is. (Scale ends at 500 in the United States and many other countries.) According to the WHO, acceptable values ​​for average PM 10 and PM 2.5 exposure over 24 hours

EPCA statement:

The EPCA was established by the Supreme Court of India in 1998 in response to decades of rising air pollution levels in Delhi. It aims to prevent extreme air temperature pollution in the city. The most serious air quality index 48 hours after its final announcement in November 2019: 5 times the Indian limit and the WHO standard is considered to be almost ten times safer.

The EPCA used the November announcement to provide a quick realistic overview of the increased PM levels, citing them as being due to fireworks, stomach burns, and adverse weather. The EPCA recommended that schools restrict outdoor exercise and suspend all construction projects in the city for one week with notice. It has temporarily suspended some pollution industry activities and banned the use of fireworks. All this follows the EPCA's earlier announcement in October, which called for significant intensification to curb arson in Punjab and Haryana along with several other measures in Delhi.

The Delhi government's initial response to the announcement was to close schools across the metropolis. The government then enacted an 'odd-even rule' that prohibits car use on different days, depending on whether the last digit of one's license location is odd or not. The capacity and inclination of the Delhi government in implementing the additional EPCA prescribed measures is still in the air.

Although the EPCA has taken an important step in announcing and ordering specific actions, these are only temporary solutions that do not discuss the sources of systemic pollution and, in some cases, impose unnecessary costs on individuals. While excluding more persistent pollution from automobile and industry emissions, the statement highlighted seasonal and temporary sources. For example, the sources of pollution far outweigh the benefits of advertising due to the misuse of private vehicles and the lack of quality of road pavements. Emergencies need short-term solutions, but they are not enough in the long run.

Taking action:

However, what does this chain of events indicate about the role of law, especially structured legal action, in preventing NCDs affected by natural hazard factors in India and elsewhere? The establishment of the EPCA and its subsequent statement demonstrates its ability to urgently identify the pollution status that prioritizes its impact on human health. As a result, the EPCA Declaration has raised the international limits of our current knowledge of public health emergencies, while the EPCA, in issuing its decision or the Supreme Court of India, in its subsequent decisions, has done more with a broader definition. 

Conclusion:

In Delhi, the efforts implemented were reactive anti-pollution measures that did not secure the poorest and did not enact radical transformation. While this emphasis on treatment over cures and cures over prevention is vital in an emergency, it is also shortsighted: With Delhi's air pollution reaching new highs, remedies must include innovative and unpopular methods that address both short-range and long causes and benefits all city inhabitants. To respond to a public health emergency, bold administrations, a unified center-state front, and an autonomous, truly empowered institution focused on long-term solutions are all required.