Due to AQI crossing 500, pollution has taken a frightening form in Delhi NCR. On Monday, fog prevailed in many places including Delhi throughout the day. Due to increasing pollution, many people are facing health-related problems. This is a health emergency. This problem has been going on continuously for the last decade. All the plans of the government in the last decade to control pollution have proved to be unsuccessful.
This failure is a testimony to the poor structure and crumbling system of the government. When the government is questioned about pollution control, a round of allegations and counter-allegations starts. Politics is being given more importance than people's lives. On the other hand, contrary to these statements, neighboring country China has eliminated the problem of pollution in its country in a very planned manner.
In a Lancet report in the year 2005, China's capital Beijing was called the capital of air pollution. During this time, a large number of people were dying every year due to air pollution in China. In view of this, China started the war against air pollution in the year 2013. During this time it implemented the National Air Quality Action Plan. Regarding this, the government approved schemes worth 19 thousand crores.
To get rid of this problem, strict restrictions were imposed on companies spreading pollution. Factories spreading air pollution were shifted from the city to another place. Not only this, some factories were completely banned. Apart from this, the use of coal in these factories was banned. The use of electric vehicles was increased in the country by banning the running of old vehicles.
Many types of corridors were built to promote tree plantations in cities. In Beijing, in the year 2013, coal was used on a large scale as fuel in schools, hospitals, and homes. The government banned this and promoted natural gas and heaters in its place. After these efforts, there was a decline in the level of pollution in China. While the level of PM 2.5 air pollution was 101.56 micrograms in the year 2013, it fell to 39 micrograms in the year 2023.
The problem of pollution has been troubling Delhi NCR and other areas of the country for a long time. We can learn many things from the way China started the war against pollution and succeeded in it. For example, like in Beijing, strict rules can be implemented in the country regarding fuel-powered vehicles. Electric vehicles can be promoted. Apart from this, the government can make many positive decisions in the field of renewable energy.
(PC: Adobe stock)
