In Faridabad, a city in Delhi NCR, the air pollution levels have gone up 25 times higher than the safe limits. According to the city’s pollution monitoring station, “the PM2.5 was found 1,515 micrograms per cubic meters by 9 AM, while by 12 noon, it dropped to 1,457 units and 1,452 units by 1 PM“. This is with respect to permissible limits of PM2.5 as 60 units as per national and 25 units as per international standards. The shocking data regarding the poor air quality in Faridabad shows that the people in the city are still breathing toxic air. With increasing signs of devastating changes in the climate, Faridabad ranks as the second most polluted city in the country, and among the top 10 in the world, according to a report by Greenpeace India.
“We have been complaining about it since a very long time, and this has in fact been the most unpredictable and uncomfortable weather here,” says Ms. Gupta*, a resident of Sector-19, Faridabad. “Our city’s weather is always the worst no matter what the season is,” she said.
A report by Observer Research Foundation (ORF) suggests that degradation in air pollution in the city is caused due to a number of seasonal activities. Running of motor vehicles, industrial/power plants and brick kilns running on inferior fuel, road and building construction without dust-control measures, removal of vegetation for new construction, burning of solid waste including plastic, rubber and dry leaves, street sweeping, and the use of diesel generator sets due to frequent power cuts are few examples of human activities having toxic effects on air quality. Many residents have also complained about the rise in traffic and about polluted air discharged by industrial units which also contribute to this hazard.
While the people of Faridabad are reflecting on how to tackle the devastating situation, the government along with many organisations have come up with desperate measures to deal with the crisis.
The Graded Response Action Plan is an emergency plan to tackle air pollution and came into effect in Delhi NCR on October 15, 2018, as air quality remained under the ‘poor’ category. The plan suggested an increase in the number of mechanised road sweeping machines from 52 to 64 by November 2018. The government also released Rs 591.65 crores to Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and NCT of Delhi for the promotion of agricultural mechanisation to manage crop residue.
Following a plea alleging a violation of environmental norms by industries operating in Faridabad, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) sought a report from the Haryana State Pollution Control Board and other authorities. The directions came after a plea by Jitender Sharma who alleged air pollution in the area caused by violations of norms by industries.
Additionally, to bring in more accountability in the public domain, the Environment Protection Control Authority (EPCA) for NCR, along with municipal corporations and governments of Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, has prepared a mobile application called ‘Hawa Badlo’ (transform air) to follow up public complaints on air pollution.
However, the past records of social media-driven awareness campaigns show that they had been largely ineffective in the city. Apart from extensive campaigns, the city also runs a Whatsapp-based violation reporting system but has not issued a single chalan (fine) till April 2016.
*Names changed upon request.