In Delhi, the Air Quality Index (AQI) at 7 PM on Saturday is above 300, in the hazardous category. In Beijing, it’s 29. While the residents of one capital city are breathing clean air, the others are exposed to toxic air, leaving them gasping for cleaner air.
However, just ten years back, the situations in both the cities—capitals of two Asian powerhouses—were similar. While Beijing’s AQI was similar to what Delhi experiences today, the number of fatalities caused by bad air was also comparable.
Just look at the figures: In 2005, China’s annual air pollution deaths reached 2.6 million. The figure for Delhi in 2023 stood at 17,188, accounting for 15 per cent of the total number of deaths. Notably, the number of deaths climbed from 15,786 in 2018 to 17,188 in 2023.
These are no small figures. And deaths aside, the level of pollution keeps people exposed to a host of health issues, along with symptoms such as trouble breathing and throat and eye issues, among others.
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So what did Beijing do right in its fight against air pollution?
But first things first: In 2013, Beijing’s air pollution problem was as big as India’s, and the situation was even referred to as an 'airpocalypse'—something we see in Delhi today.
However, following public outrage, swift steps followed.
In 2013, it charted a massive anti-pollution strategy and set aside $100 billion for this multi-year mission.
The implementation was as dedicated as the plan.
It shut down several polluting factories, and implemented stringent emission norms. It also invested in changing transportation, putting an emphasis on electric vehicles. Beijing also pushed ahead with a massive expansion of public transportation, so people would depend less on commuting by cars.
Also, for the first time, it started publishing air quality data. It also involved a coordinated effort with nearby areas, because pollution isn’t restricted by borders.
Now, it’s not that Delhi hasn’t done anything, but whatever steps it takes is seen as more reactionary and less strategic, apart from changing the transportation to natural gas-based. Steps are taken like the odd-even method, the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), and shutting down certain power plants.
However, steps are generally taken when winter arrives, and the air quality drops steeply. Public outrage has also ceased to create any impact due to its decline, probably because this is now seen as an annual phenomenon, and not as a health concern.
More importantly, Delhi lacks coordinated action with the surrounding states, which also contribute to the capital’s pollution through stubble burning.
There’s much in store to be done, and now. It only depends now on political will, public outrage, and our understanding of the gravity of the problem.