UNDERSTANDING THE PROBLEM

The article titled “Delhi Pollution” dated November 16, 2017 revealed that Delhi air pollution has reached hazardous levels. A blanket of smog covers the city since a week now.

The Supreme Court on Monday described the issue of vehicular pollution as “very serious” and a “critical problem” and observed that it would have an impact not only on this generation but also on the children yet to be born.

Due to the increase in the number of vehicles over the years , the city roads witness frequent traffic congestions , but above all, the vehicles emitting pollutants are affecting environment badly. The recently-released WHO report shows that Jaipur has 2.5 microns of diameter (PM2.5) concentration of 68 micrograms particulate matter per meter cube. However, the WHO guideline values for particulate matter is 10 microgram per meter cube for PM2.5. "The air pollution consists of many pollutants, among other particulate matter. These particles are able to penetrate deeply into the respiratory tract and therefore constitute a risk for health by increasing mortality from respiratory infections and diseases, lung cancer, and selected cardiovascular diseases," says the WHO report.

Moreover, as far as public transport is concerned, the government-owned low floor buses could be seen plying on the road emitting black smoke causing problems for pedestrians, bikers and other roadside vendors. Air pollution kills more than 5.5 million people around the world each year, with over half of those deaths occurring in fast-growing China and India, researchers said.

A lot of measures had already been taken to control this vehicular pollution from the side of Government such as  enhancing the use of cleaner fuels like CNG, opening more forms of Public transport such as low floor buses, etc. but still the condition of the problem has not improved a lot. One of the existing solutions include the retrofitting of catalytic converters in two and three-wheelers.The catalytic converter is one of the most effective emission control devices available but however, with higher 'engine out' emissions catalyst conversion efficiency and durability would decrease. Since electric vehicles are one of eco-friendly technologies to deal with air pollution but the limitation with them is that the lithium-ion battery through which it operate has an environmental cost. Not only do the batteries carry a risk of giving off toxic gases if damaged, but core ingredients such as lithium and cobalt are finite and extraction can lead to water pollution and depletion among other environmental consequences.