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Delhi government prioritises metro expansion to curb pollution: CM Rekha Gupta

The Delhi Government on Sunday said it is intensifying efforts to curb air pollution by ramping up public transport infrastructure, with the expansion of the Delhi Metro emerging as a key priority. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said effective control of pollution in the national capital and the NCR hinges on a strong, accessible public transport system backed by seamless last-mile connectivity. She stated that the Transport Department has been allocated 60 per cent additional funds in the current budget to strengthen public transportation. Adequate provisions have also been made for the expansion of the Delhi Metro to ensure that ongoing projects proceed without hindrance. The Chief Minister added that the Delhi government is also clearing pending liabilities related to Metro projects that were left unpaid by previous governments. According to the Chief Minister, data from the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and other government and research-based institutions indicate that vehicular emissions are a major contributor to environmental degradation and pollution in Delhi-NCR. Strengthening public transport, therefore, is essential to reduce dependence on private vehicles and to address the pollution crisis effectively. She said that in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Net Zero Emission’ and modern, sustainable transport, the Delhi government has made substantial budgetary provisions for public transport, particularly for the expansion of the Delhi Metro (DMRC). The Chief Minister informed that an allocation of rs 9,110 crore has been made in the 2025–26 Budget, compared to Rs 5,702 crore in 2024–25, an increase of nearly 60 per cent. This enhanced allocation reflects the government’s strong commitment to the Delhi Metro, often regarded as the lifeline of the capital. While the previous government had allocated around Rs 500 crore for Metro projects last year, the current government has earmarked Rs 2,929 crore for Metro expansion in 2025–26. The Chief Minister further stated that the Delhi cabinet has approved three major corridors under MRTS Phase-IV Lajpat Nagar to Saket, Inderlok to Indraprastha, and Rithala to Kundli (Haryana) paving the way for enhanced connectivity within Delhi and improved travel options for commuters across Delhi-NCR. For this project, the Delhi government is bearing a financial responsibility of Rs 3,386.18 crore. An amount of Rs 940 crore has already been released in the current financial year, while the next instalment of Rs 336 crore will be released. Additionally, pending liabilities of nearly Rs 2,700 crore related to Phases I, II and III are also being cleared. Emphasising the need for a shift from private vehicles to public transport, the CM said lasting solutions to pollution are possible only when citizens are provided with a reliable, extensive and convenient public transport network. The government aims to make the Metro network so comprehensive that people do not need to rely on private vehicles even for last-mile connectivity. She added that active representation of the Delhi government on the DMRC Board is ensuring better coordination, timely funding and faster implementation of projects. The CM noted that neglect of public transport expansion by previous governments had contributed significantly to the current pollution challenges faced by Delhi-NCR. Reiterating the government’s long-term vision, the Chief Minister said the Delhi Government is working in mission mode to realise the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dream of a ‘Zero

क्या मेट्रो की बढ़ी रीच से कंट्रोल होगा प्रदूषण? दिल्ली सरकार ने बढ़ाया परिवहन का बजट

दिल्ली-NCR में प्रदूषण का लेवल बहुत ज़्यादा हो गया है, जिससे लोगों को बहुत परेशानी हो रही है। फिर भी, रेखा सरकार प्रदूषण को कंट्रोल करने की पूरी कोशिश कर रही है। दिल्ली सरकार का मानना ​​है कि देश की राजधानी और NCR में प्रदूषण को असरदार तरीके से कंट्रोल करने के लिए पब्लिक ट्रांसपोर्ट सिस्टम, खासकर दिल्ली मेट्रो नेटवर्क को मज़बूत करना और आखिरी मील तक कनेक्टिविटी पक्का करना ज़रूरी है। मुख्यमंत्री रेखा गुप्ता ने कहा कि सरकार ने ट्रांसपोर्ट डिपार्टमेंट को मज़बूत करने के लिए मौजूदा बजट में 60 परसेंट की बढ़ोतरी की है। इस बजट में दिल्ली मेट्रो के विस्तार के लिए भी काफ़ी फंड शामिल है, ताकि इसके मौजूदा प्रोजेक्ट्स में रुकावट न आए। उन्होंने यह भी बताया कि दिल्ली सरकार दिल्ली मेट्रो की पुरानी देनदारियों को भी चुका रही है, जिनका पिछली सरकारों ने पेमेंट नहीं किया था। उन्होंने कहा कि अगर पिछली सरकारों ने राजधानी के ट्रांसपोर्ट सिस्टम को लेकर गंभीरता दिखाई होती, तो आज दिल्ली को गंभीर प्रदूषण का सामना नहीं करना पड़ता। "गाड़ियों से निकलने वाले एमिशन को कंट्रोल करने की ज़रूरत है" मुख्यमंत्री ने कहा कि सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (CSE) और दूसरे सरकारी और रिसर्च-बेस्ड सोर्स के मुताबिक, दिल्ली-NCR में पर्यावरण को खराब करने और प्रदूषण को और खराब करने में गाड़ियों से निकलने वाला एमिशन एक बड़ी भूमिका निभा रहा है। इस प्रदूषण को कंट्रोल करने के लिए पब्लिक ट्रांसपोर्ट सिस्टम को मज़बूत करना बहुत ज़रूरी है। उन्होंने कहा कि प्रदूषण की समस्या को दूर करने और सड़कों पर गाड़ियों के बढ़ते दबाव को कम करने के लिए ज़रूरी कदम उठाए जा रहे हैं। उन्होंने कहा कि प्रधानमंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी के "नेट ज़ीरो एमिशन" और मॉडर्न ट्रांसपोर्ट के विज़न को पूरा करने के लिए, दिल्ली सरकार ने पब्लिक ट्रांसपोर्ट सिस्टम, खासकर दिल्ली मेट्रो (DMRC) के विस्तार के लिए काफ़ी बजट दिया है। ट्रांसपोर्ट डिपार्टमेंट के बजट में बढ़ोतरी उन्होंने कहा कि दिल्ली सरकार ने 2025-26 के बजट में पब्लिक ट्रांसपोर्ट सेक्टर के विस्तार और मज़बूती के लिए काफ़ी इंतज़ाम किए हैं। सरकार ने मौजूदा बजट में ट्रांसपोर्ट डिपार्टमेंट को मज़बूत करने के लिए ₹9,110 करोड़ दिए हैं। यह बजट पिछली सरकार द्वारा 2024-25 में दिए गए 5,702 करोड़ रुपये से करीब 60 परसेंट ज़्यादा है। उन्होंने कहा कि यह बढ़ोतरी सिर्फ़ आंकड़ों तक सीमित नहीं है, बल्कि दिल्ली की लाइफलाइन मानी जाने वाली मेट्रो के प्रति सरकार की गंभीरता को भी दिखाती है। उन्होंने कहा कि पिछले साल मेट्रो के लिए सिर्फ़ 500 करोड़ रुपये दिए गए थे, लेकिन 2025-26 के बजट में उनकी सरकार ने मेट्रो प्रोजेक्ट्स के लिए 2,929 करोड़ रुपये का बड़ा हिस्सा दिया है। 'सरकार मेट्रो का पुराना कर्ज़ भी चुका रही है' मुख्यमंत्री ने यह भी बताया कि उनकी सरकार की कैबिनेट ने तीन मुख्य कॉरिडोर को मंज़ूरी देकर MRTS (मास रैपिड ट्रांजिट सिस्टम) फेज़ IV के विस्तार का रास्ता साफ़ कर दिया है। इन कॉरिडोर में लाजपत नगर से साकेत, इंद्रलोक से इंद्रप्रस्थ और रिठला से कुंडली (हरियाणा) शामिल हैं। उन्होंने कहा कि इस विस्तार से न सिर्फ़ दिल्ली के अंदर कनेक्टिविटी बेहतर होगी, बल्कि दिल्ली और NCR के बीच आने-जाने वालों के लिए एक आसान ऑप्शन भी मिलेगा। उन्होंने कहा कि दिल्ली सरकार इस प्रोजेक्ट के लिए ₹3,386.18 करोड़ का फाइनेंशियल बोझ उठा रही है। उन्होंने आगे कहा कि सरकार ने मौजूदा फाइनेंशियल ईयर में पहले ही ₹940 करोड़ दे दिए हैं, जिससे फंड की उपलब्धता पक्की हो सकती है, जबकि ₹336 करोड़ की अगली किस्त पाइपलाइन में है। इसके अलावा, सरकार पिछली देनदारियों (फेज I, II और III) से लगभग ₹2,700 करोड़ दे रही है। 'पिछली सरकारों ने ट्रांसपोर्ट सिस्टम को नज़रअंदाज़ किया' मुख्यमंत्री रेखा गुप्ता का मानना ​​है कि जब तक लोग प्राइवेट गाड़ियों से पब्लिक ट्रांसपोर्ट पर नहीं जाते, प्रदूषण की समस्या का पक्का समाधान नामुमकिन है। उन्होंने कहा कि सरकार मेट्रो नेटवर्क को इतना मजबूत और बड़ा बनाने के लिए कमिटेड है कि लोगों को लास्ट माइल (लास्ट माइल कनेक्टिविटी) तक पहुंचने तक अपनी गाड़ियों का इस्तेमाल करने की ज़रूरत न पड़े। उन्होंने कहा कि इस कमिटमेंट को ध्यान में रखते हुए, सरकार दिल्ली मेट्रो को काफी बजट दे रही है और पिछली देनदारियों को भी चुका रही है। उन्होंने यह भी बताया कि DMRC बोर्ड में दिल्ली सरकार का एक्टिव रिप्रेजेंटेशन अब बेहतर कोऑर्डिनेशन, तेज़ी से फंडिंग और प्रोजेक्ट्स का समय पर इम्प्लीमेंटेशन पक्का कर रहा है। मुख्यमंत्री ने कहा कि अगर पिछली दिल्ली सरकारों ने पब्लिक ट्रांसपोर्ट सिस्टम को मज़बूत करने और बढ़ाने को गंभीरता से लिया होता, तो आज दिल्ली-NCR में प्रदूषण की समस्या इतनी गंभीर नहीं होती, और आम आदमी को हेल्थ और दूसरी समस्याओं का सामना नहीं करना पड़ता। "सरकार प्रधानमंत्री के 'ज़ीरो एमिशन' विज़न को पूरा कर रही है" मुख्यमंत्री ने कहा कि दिल्ली सरकार ट्रांसपोर्ट सिस्टम को 'ज़ीरो एमिशन' बनाने के प्रधानमंत्री के विज़न को मिशन मोड पर फॉलो कर रही है। उन्होंने कहा कि प्रधानमंत्री ने अक्सर मॉडर्न इंफ्रास्ट्रक्चर और एनवायरनमेंट-फ्रेंडली डेवलपमेंट पर ज़ोर दिया है। मौजूदा दिल्ली सरकार मेट्रो एक्सपेंशन के चौथे फेज़ को पूरा करने के लिए केंद्र सरकार की 'स्पेशल असिस्टेंस स्कीम' के तहत मिले एलोकेशन का अच्छे से इस्तेमाल कर रही है।

Delhi on orange alert for fog today, 400+ AQI likely over the weekend

“A fall in temperature can intensify the inversion effect, which can lead to a spike in pollution levels, as this causes pollutants to get trapped near the lower layers of the atmosphere,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director at the Centre for Science and Environment. “However, the intensity of the spike will depend on several meteorological conditions, including wind speed, and the interplay between the meteorological conditions.” Dense fog converged with air pollution to smother Delhi for yet another day on Friday, disrupting over 700 flights and leading to the cancellation of at least 177 more, with worse weather expected over the weekend. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert for fog on Saturday and the Air Quality Early Warning System (AQEWS) predicted the air quality index — which barely budged from 373 to 374 in the 24 hours ended at Friday on 4pm — to climb into the 400+ “severe” category over the weekend. “Dense to very dense fog is expected to form at several places across the city in the early hours of Saturday. At night, a shallow fog or mist might be observed,” an IMD official said, adding that Sunday and Monday would likely see moderate fog at many places and dense fog at isolated locations during morning hours. On Friday, visibility dropped to zero at the Safdarjung weather station at 5.30am and plunged to 50 metres at Palam, forcing the India Meteorological Department to issue a red alert in the early hours. The disruption left 177 flights cancelled — 88 departures and 89 arrivals, including two international flights — according to airport officials. While the city’s 24-hour average air quality index stood at 374 in the “very poor” category, the morning reading climbed to 382, edging closer to the severe threshold of 401, while 11 of 40 monitoring stations recorded severe air quality. Vivek Vihar reported the worst air quality at an index of 434, followed by Anand Vihar at 430. At one point during the day, 14 stations were in the severe category before conditions improved slightly at some locations. The deteriorating air marked the ninth consecutive day of very poor or severe pollution despite an aggressive vehicular enforcement drive launched Thursday that resulted in thousands of challans and widespread disruption to those using their own vehicles across NCR— underscoring what the Supreme Court described earlier this week as the “total failure” of reactive pollution control measures. The minimum temperature was recorded at 9 degrees Celsius on Friday, 0.9 degrees above normal, while the maximum reached 22.2 degrees. Forecasts suggest the minimum could fall to 7-9 degrees on Saturday, with the maximum hovering around 21-23 degrees over the weekend before dropping to 20-22 degrees by mid-next week. The temperature decline threatens to intensify what meteorologists call the inversion effect, trapping pollutants in lower layers of the atmosphere. “A fall in temperature can intensify the inversion effect, which can lead to a spike in pollution levels, as this causes pollutants to get trapped near the lower layers of the atmosphere,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director at the Centre for Science and Environment. “However, the intensity of the spike will depend on several meteorological conditions, including wind speed, and the interplay between the meteorological conditions.”

Delhi-NCR air pollution: December on track to be dirtiest in 8 yrs amid severe fog, ITO records worst AQI

Meteorologists warn that falling temperatures could intensify the inversion effect, trapping pollutants near the ground. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director at the Centre for Science and Environment, explained that a drop in temperature can cause pollutants to get trapped near the lower layers of the atmosphere. The severity of the spike will depend on meteorological factors like wind speed. Delhi is facing another stretch of poor air quality and persistent fog, with December already recording three severe air days and the month's average air quality index (AQI) rising to critical levels. The capital experienced a 24-day streak of very poor air in November, including three severe days mid-month. On Saturday, the national capital was shrouded in a thick layer of noxious smog, with the overall AQI standing at 380 at around 7 am, falling into the 'very poor' category. AQI across various parts of Delhi (as of 7 am on December 20) ITO -- 429 Sarai Kale Khan -- 428 Anand Vihar -- 428 Akshardham -- 420 Ashok Vihar -- 407 Rao Tularam Marg -- 403 Barapullah flyover -- 380 Persistent pollution coincides with dense fog and a lack of rainfall this December, as recorded at the Safdarjung weather station. The absence of rain prevents pollutants from being cleared, worsening air quality. On Friday, dense fog caused widespread travel disruption, with over 700 flights affected and at least 177 cancelled, as conditions are forecast to deteriorate over the weekend.

जलवायु संकट: मौसमी घटनाओं से 1.74 करोड़ हेक्टेयर फसल तबाह...4,419 मौतें

साल 2025 भारत के लिए जलवायु संकट से भरा रहा। पूरे साल लोग चरम मौसमी घटनाओं से जूझते रहे। जनवरी से नवंबर के बीच 334 में से 331 दिन देश के किसी न किसी हिस्से में लू, शीत लहर, आकाशीय बिजली, भीषण बारिश, बाढ़, भूस्खलन, तूफान या मेघ फटने जैसी घटनाओं के नाम रहे। दिल्ली स्थित थिंक टैंक सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (सीएसई) और डाउन टू अर्थ के विश्लेषण के मुताबिक इन 11 महीनों में चरम मौसम ने 4,419 लोगों की जान ली, करीब 1.74 करोड़ हेक्टेयर फसल क्षेत्र को नुकसान पहुंचाया, 1,81,459 से अधिक घर तबाह हुए और लगभग 77,189 पशुओं की मौत दर्ज की गई। यह केवल आंकड़ों की कहानी नहीं है, बल्कि उस बदलते भारत की तस्वीर है, जहां जलवायु परिवर्तन अब भविष्य का खतरा नहीं, बल्कि वर्तमान का सबसे बड़ा संकट बन चुका है।

जलवायु संकट: भारत में 2025 में गर्मी, बाढ़ और तूफानों ने मचाया कहर

साल 2025 भारत के लिए चरम मौसम की घटनाओं का साल बन गया। सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट और डाउन टू अर्थ की रिपोर्ट के मुताबिक, लू, शीतलहर, बिजली गिरना, तूफान, चक्रवात, बादल फटना, भारी बारिश, बाढ़ और भूस्खलन जैसी घटनाएं पूरे साल लगातार होती रहीं। 99% से अधिक दिनों में मौसम की चरम घटनाएं जनवरी से नवंबर के बीच देश ने 334 में से 331 दिनों तक कोई न कोई प्राकृतिक आपदा झेली 2024 में यह आकंड़ा 295 दिन, 2023 में 296 दिन और 2022 में 292 दिन था 1.74 करोड़ हेक्टेयर फसल प्रभावित हुई 1.81 लाख से अधिक घर नष्ट हुए 77,189 जानवरों की मौत हुई

Centre opens bids for third party environmental auditors

India will soon have a cadre of private third party environmental auditors to ensure industries, processes, activities are meeting environmental norms, outsourcing a key responsibility of the State in an effort to cut delays and improve ease of doing business, although environmentalists are worried that this could end up giving industry a free rein. The Union environment ministry has published a request for a proposal (RFP) for selection of Environment Audit Designated Agency (EADA), an autonomous organisation under the central government, which will specialise in conducting third-party environmental audits of projects, processes, and activities regulated under various environmental laws. The processes to be audited include environmental, social, and governance (ESG) disclosures by corporations and the implementation of the Green Credit Programme, a market-based system incentivising voluntary environmental actions such as tree planting. The reform, based on trust-based governance according to the government, comes at a time when several Indian cities are battling severe air pollution. To be sure, the State’s own monitoring mechanism has significant capacity constraints. The third party auditors are expected to fill the huge vacuum in environmental monitoring capacity within the government. HT reported on December 15 that nearly 45% of scientific and technical positions in pollution control boards across the country are vacant, citing the Union environment ministry’s response in the Lok Sabha. The environment ministry notified the Environment Audit Rules 2025 on August 29. “The Environment Audit (EA) Rules, 2025, establish a credible system of environmental audits by certified professionals to improve compliance data, support enforcement, and align with national initiatives like the Green Credit Programme and ESG disclosures. The Rules create the EADA, which certifies auditors, assigns audits digitally, monitors performance, enforces a code of conduct, and maintains a public auditor registry,” the RFP document published on December 11 states. “I think it is always better to go for third party auditors. But our experience with independent laboratories has not been great. I have been doubtful in the past as their results always seemed to favour the industry. At this juncture, it is very important that the reports reveal a real picture of conditions and compliance. It is important to understand how these auditors will be made accountable. And how will the most competent ones be chosen?” asked Mohan George, Consultant, Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility, Centre for Science and Environment and formerly an officer with the Delhi Pollution Control Committee.

Dirty Underside of Green Transition

Last month when the global leaders were busy in deliberating on various aspects of carbon emission and negotiating on the quantum of climate finance required to mitigate global warming at the 30th session of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (CoP30) held in Brazil 2025, a few alarming reports have flagged that a wide array of non-carbon pollutants and environmental threats demand urgent focus to protect human health and ecosystems. In November, Indian newspapers reported that a very high level of uranium had been found in the breast milk of women in six districts of Bihar, indicating a significant threat to infants’ health. The samples tested had uranium concentrations of up to 5.25 micrograms per litre (µg / L), and significant contamination was noted in every sample. There is no permissible limit or benchmark specified for uranium concentration in breast milk. Last year, scientists discovered lead in breast milk samples and found arsenic some years earlier. As winter has set in, the air has been toxic in Delhi for over a month now, with the air quality index (AQI) showing a reading of over 400, which means “hazardous”. Lately, a few citizens sat in protest in front of the India Gate with placards: “We can’t breathe”, “Stop poisoning us”. An analysis of air quality by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) showed that the level of fine pollutants has shown no improvement since 2022, indicating that pollution control measures being implemented by government agencies have not been effective. “What’s more worrying is the daily synchronised rise of PM2.5 (particulate matter 2.5, which are microscopic particles in the air with a diameter of 2.5 micrometres or smaller) and other toxic gases such as nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and carbon monoxide (CO), creating a toxic cocktail that has gone unnoticed”. Recent studies have identified severe air pollution hotspots and air sheds in cities and districts across Assam, Bihar, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Tripura, Rajasthan, and West Bengal. On November 20, Malaysia suspended operations at a rare earth site and two tin mines in western Perak state following an investigation into complaints that a stretch of Perak River, the second-longest on the Malaysian peninsula, had turned bright blue. Greenpeace called for an investigation to determine what had caused a river in Malaysia near rare earths and tin mines to turn bright blue. Rising demand for ‘critical minerals’ for the manufacture of new technology, considered ‘green and sustainable’, is creating a new form of climate colonialism in the 21st century, as mining of these minerals is highly polluting. Commenting on the hazardous mining of cobalt and copper in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Amnesty International observed: ‘Decarbonising the global economy is leading to further human rights violations’. China has emerged as a major player and also a major polluter in the global critical mineral market. The vital transition from fossil fuels into renewable energy is being captured by super-rich polluters – individuals, companies and countries – reproducing colonial patterns that are entrenching inequalities and fuelling human rights violations, says Oxfam’s new report “Unjust Transition: Reclaiming the Energy Future from Climate Colonialism”, published in September 2025. Although Global South countries hold roughly 70 per cent of transition minerals reserves, the majority of the investments in renewable energy are concentrated in the Global North (50 per cent) and China (29 per cent) – with those profits largely falling into the hands of the richest 1 per cent. Critical minerals are those non-fuel resources that are essential to countries’ economies or development. Critical minerals include copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt, graphite and rare earth elements. These are used widely in clean energy technologies, such as wind turbines, solar panels, EV batteries and motors, as well as in energy transmission infrastructure like power lines. Additional minerals important for the energy transition include aluminium, manganese, silicon and silver, among others. The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that if governments are to meet their announced energy and climate pledges, critical mineral demand could more than double from 2022 levels by 2030 and quadruple by 2050. Extraction and processing of critical minerals are highly concentrated. For example, in 2023, Indonesia held 42 per cent of global nickel reserves and 54 per cent of global nickel production, while the Democratic Republic of Congo held 55 per cent of global cobalt reserves and 74 per cent of global cobalt production. Once mined, the majority of these minerals are shipped to China for processing before they can be applied in end uses. China processes more than half of the world’s lithium, two-thirds of its cobalt, one-third of its nickel and nearly all rare earth elements. Rare earth elements are a subset of critical minerals that includes 17 elements used extensively in clean energy systems and other advanced technologies. These are critical in electric vehicles, renewable energy, military applications and high-tech industries. Rare earth production is also on the rise. In 2024, production jumped to 3,90,000 metric tons worldwide – a threefold rise from 1,32,000 metric tons in 2017. China is the world’s largest producer of rare earths. In 2024, 70 per cent of US rare earths imports originated from China. While the United States is the second-largest producer of rare earths, it trails China significantly. The largest rare earth mining company in the world is China Northern Rare Earth High-Tech, which owns the prolific Bayan Obo rare earth mining complex in Inner Mongolia. A steep rise in the global demand for critical minerals is driving the toxic pollution of some of Asia’s most important rivers, like the Mekong, a thriving ecosystem that meanders through six countries, threatening the health and livelihoods of tens of millions of people living along the Mekong and its tributaries. Those who drink, bathe and fish in the waters every day get exposed to deadly toxins from hundreds of unregulated mines in the region, many of which are located in war-torn, lawless areas of Myanmar. Stimson Center has mapped out on a “massive scale” more than 2,400 sites, many of them unregulated mines across mainland Southeast Asia, that could be releasing dangerous pollutants such as cyanide, mercury, arsenic, and other heavy metals directly into the region’s rivers. Copper and cobalt mining in the Democratic Republic of Congo has devastated the ecosystem and compelled the poor miners to work in slave-like conditions. The same story is repeated in other mining hubs of Asia, Africa and Latin America. As in the previous centuries, climate colonialism continues in the name of ‘green technology and sustainable development’. Views expressed are personal. The writer is a professor of Business Administration who primarily writes on political economy, global trade, and sustainable development

Pollution in Beijing was worse than in Delhi:How did China bring AQI below 30; what's stopping India from doing the same?

Two hours before publishing this article, we checked the live list of the world’s 50 most polluted cities. Out of 50, 47 cities are in India. In almost all areas of Delhi-NCR, the AQI has crossed 400. This falls under the hazardous category, meaning the final and most dangerous level. Meanwhile, the Chinese Embassy spokesperson in Delhi, Yu Jing, explained how China cleaned the air of its capital and once most polluted city, Beijing. She also offered help to India in reducing pollution. So how did China remove pollution from its cities, and can India not clean its air by adopting the same model? We will find out in today’s Explainer… Why has the air in Delhi-NCR become so bad? For the past one week, Delhi’s average Air Quality Index (AQI) has remained above 300, which falls in the severe category. This is equivalent to smoking around 82 cigarettes in a week. In many areas of Delhi-NCR, air quality is in the severe+ category, with AQI between 400 and 500. On 18 December, Delhi’s maximum AQI reached 566. In the past one month, Delhi’s AQI crossed 300 on 17 days, the most dangerous level. This is equivalent to smoking around 351 cigarettes in a month. Delhi’s pollution was also discussed in Parliament today. On 12 December, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi had demanded a discussion. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju had assured that a discussion would be held. There are four main reasons behind Delhi’s severe air pollution… Vehicle pollution: According to last year’s report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), around 51% of Delhi’s pollution comes from vehicles. This includes the finest pollutant particles PM 2.5, harmful gases and dust. Smoke from chemical factories: The second major cause of Delhi’s pollution is industry. Smoke emitted from factories in and around Delhi contains particulate matter such as PM 2.5 and PM 10. Stubble burning: In neighbouring states like Punjab and Haryana, stubble is burnt between September and November after paddy harvest to prepare fields for wheat sowing. However, stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana has reduced by up to 90% between 2022 and 2025. Despite this, pollution persists in Delhi. Impact of winter: During winter, these factors become even more dangerous. Cold air has very little movement, causing pollution particles to get trapped at lower atmospheric levels. This increases pollution near the ground.

Unreliable data mask just how bad the air quality crisis is in India

A 2024 report by the Centre for Science and Environment, a New Delhi-based think tank, found that 64% of funds under the program went toward reducing dust and only 12% to reducing pollution from vehicles and less than 1% to bringing down industrial air pollution. Recent remarks about pollution from two Indian officials have increased frustration among residents who say policymakers are unwilling to acknowledge the severity of India’s air quality crisis. When Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav told Parliament earlier this month that India’s capital, New Delhi, has seen 200 days with good air quality readings, pollution experts and opposition leaders said he chose a figure that overlooked the worst pollution months. A week later, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the air quality index—a measure of air pollution—was similar to a temperature reading and could be dealt with by spraying water. Crowds jeered at her at a subsequent public event, shouting “AQI” in reference to the city’s poor air quality readings. Gupta had also greenlit a controversial cloud seeding program earlier this year, saying it could produce rain that would lower pollution—despite lack of evidence that the approach would work. Residents in New Delhi and surrounding areas engulfed in toxic smog over the last few months said these are just the latest examples of officials denying the severity of air quality problems. “Instead of doing cloud seeding, I hope the government will wake up and take some real action,” said Anita, a 73-year-old New Delhi resident who goes by only one name. “It’s a shame.” Environmentalists and data experts said India’s air quality measurement standards are looser than in countries such as the United States, so moderate readings often mask dangerous pollution levels. India’s government air quality standards are also less stringent than World Health Organization guidelines. Experts said these gaps can erode public trust, even as few residents fully grasp how harmful polluted air is. Gaps in India’s air quality data India’s air quality is measured through a nationwide network of monitors and sensors, as well as satellite data. The monitors collect robust data, but there are too few of them, said Ronak Sutaria, CEO of Respirer Living, which builds machines and software for air quality monitoring. He said that the system falls short of letting citizens know how polluted the air in their neighborhoods really is. In 2019, India launched the National Clean Air Program, which set targets aiming to reduce pollution by up to 40% in 131 cities by 2026. The program has seen relative success, providing millions of dollars for monitors and water-spraying machines to reduce dust generated from vehicles plying the roads, construction activity and winds that blow desert sand into the cities. However, air pollution experts said the program has done little to reduce pollution from carbon-spewing industries or vehicle emissions, which are among the biggest sources of dirty air. Other sources include the burning of crop stubble on farms, use of wood and cow dung as cooking fuel and burning of garbage. A 2024 report by the Centre for Science and Environment, a New Delhi-based think tank, found that 64% of funds under the program went toward reducing dust and only 12% to reducing pollution from vehicles and less than 1% to bringing down industrial air pollution. “We are making huge investments in air quality monitoring. And so when we are expanding, then it also becomes an imperative that we should be focusing on the quality,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director at the think tank. A public health emergency A study last year by the medical journal Lancet linked long-term exposure to polluted air to 1.5 million additional deaths every year in India, compared to a scenario where the country would have met WHO standards. Yet earlier this month, Prataprao Jadhav, India’s junior health minister, said there is no conclusive data available in the country to establish a direct correlation of death or disease exclusively to air pollution. Shweta Narayan, a campaign lead at the Global Climate and Health Alliance, said that air pollution is still not taken seriously as a public health issue. “Deaths related to air pollution are not being counted. And the reason why it’s not being counted is because there are no systematic mechanisms to do so,” Narayan said. Narayan said pollution causes long-term health problems for everyone exposed, but that it’s especially bad for pregnant women, the elderly and children. “As a consequence of exposure to air pollution, we see a lot of preterm births, miscarriages, low birth weight. Exposure at this stage has a lifelong consequence,” she said. A lack of political will Earlier this month, New Delhi residents took to the streets to protest against dirty air and demand immediate government action in a relatively rare instance of public demonstrations. “We do not know whether … citizens will be able to link air pollution to elections, but perhaps that’s where India is moving toward,” environmentalist Vimlendu Jha said in an interview. “Citizens are fed up.” Jha said authorities are not being honest about the problem and that there is a lack of political will to address the issue. “There’s more headline and image management than pollution management,” he said, adding that the high levels of pollution have been treated as normal by political leaders. “The first thing that the government needs to do is to be honest about the problem that we have,” he said. “The right diagnosis is extremely critical.” Regardless of whether policymakers act, the consequences of dirty air for the residents of India’s capital are evident. “Everyone feels the pollution. People are not able to work or even breathe,” said Satish Sharma, a 60-year-old auto rickshaw driver. Sharma said he has reduced his work hours as his health has deteriorated in the last few weeks because of the pollution. “I want to tell the government to please do something about this pollution,” he said. “Otherwise, people will move away from here.”

Delhi AQI Likely To Turn 'Severe' - When Can Air Quality Be Expected To Improve?

Shambhavi Shukla, Programme Manager at Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi, told Mint that the air quality in Delhi is likely to improve from February and March onwards. The Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi remained in the "very poor" category on Saturday, December 20. The AQI was recorded at 376 early Saturday, as compared to 374 recorded on Friday. Officials told news agency PTI that dense fog is likely to worsen Delhi's air quality over the weekend, despite the implementation of stringent pollution-control measures. As per the CPCB classification, an AQI between 0 and 50 is considered 'good', 51–100 'satisfactory', 101–200 'moderate', 201–300 'poor', 301–400 'very poor' and 401–500 'severe'. Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a yellow alert for fog, predicting dense fog on Saturday, December 20. Weather officials said foggy conditions are likely to persist during early mornings in the coming days as winter intensifies. When is Delhi AQI expected to improve? Shambhavi Shukla, Programme Manager at Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi, told Mint that the air quality in Delhi is likely to improve from February and March onwards. "The air quality is not good, but better than what is happening right now," she said, adding that, as the year passes by, the monsoon comes from July-end and August onwards, "then you can see the best air quality." View full Image AQI trend from January 1, 2025, to November 30, 2025. (SAFAR)What leads to improved air quality? Shambhavi Shukla explained that when it rains, all the particles settle down. She said that, as of now, there is fog (water droplets and moisture in the air) and particulate matter (PM 10 and PM 2.5). Especially during the monsoon, when there is rain, these particulate matter settle down and "you can see less dust/particles, and it washes off the pollution from the air," Shukla said. Air pollution, foggy conditions during winter Severe air pollution and foggy conditions during winter are persistent challenges, pose significant health hazards, and disrupt daily routines worldwide. A study, titled 'Role of meteorology and air pollution on fog conditions over Delhi during the peak winter 2024', investigated the conditions favouring the prolonged fog events in Delhi during January 2024 using observations, back trajectories, and reanalysis datasets. Analysis of visibility observations revealed that foggy conditions persisted in Delhi for 46 percent of the time during the study period. The existence of three-four days of cold wave to severe cold wave conditions and the lack of passage of strong western disturbances across north and northwest India also favoured the prolonged fog formation. Besides, high relative humidity, shallow boundary layer, stable weather conditions such as the absence of significant surface winds, the existence of cold wave to severe cold wave, temperature inversion (up to 4 °C), poor ventilation, and presence of high particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) facilitated the fog formation.

Unreliable data mask just how bad the air quality crisis is in India

Recent remarks about pollution from two Indian officials have increased frustration among residents who say policymakers are unwilling to acknowledge the severity of India’s air quality crisis. When Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav told Parliament earlier this month that India’s capital, New Delhi, has seen 200 days with good air quality readings, pollution experts and opposition leaders said he chose a figure that overlooked the worst pollution months. A week later, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the air quality index — a measure of air pollution — was similar to a temperature reading and could be dealt with by spraying water. Crowds jeered her at a subsequent public event, shouting “AQI” in reference to the city’s poor air quality readings. Gupta had also greenlit a controversial cloud seeding program earlier this year, saying it could produce rain that would lower pollution — despite lack of evidence that the approach would work. Residents in New Delhi and surrounding areas engulfed in toxic smog over the last few months said these are just the latest examples of officials denying the severity of air quality problems. “Instead of doing cloud seeding, I hope the government will wake up and take some real action,” said Anita, a 73-year-old New Delhi resident who goes by only one name. “It’s a shame.” Environmentalists and data experts said India’s air quality measurement standards are looser than in countries such as the United States, so moderate readings often mask dangerous pollution levels. India’s government air quality standards are also less stringent than World Health Organization guidelines. Experts said these gaps can erode public trust, even as few residents fully grasp how harmful polluted air is. Gaps in India’s air quality data India’s air quality is measured through a nationwide network of monitors and sensors, as well as satellite data. The monitors collect robust data, but there are too few of them, said Ronak Sutaria, CEO of Respirer Living, which builds machines and software for air quality monitoring. He said that the system falls short of letting citizens know how polluted the air in their neighborhoods really is. In 2019, India launched the National Clean Air Program, which set targets aiming to reduce pollution by up to 40% in 131 cities by 2026. The program has seen relative success, providing millions of dollars for monitors and water-spraying machines to reduce dust generated from vehicles plying the roads, construction activity and winds that blow desert sand into the cities. However, air pollution experts said the program has done little to reduce pollution from carbon-spewing industries or vehicle emissions, which are among the biggest sources of dirty air. Other sources include the burning of crop stubble on farms, use of wood and cow dung as cooking fuel and burning of garbage. A 2024 report by the Centre for Science and Environment, a New Delhi-based think tank, found that 64% of funds under the program went toward reducing dust and only 12% to reducing pollution from vehicles and less than 1% to bringing down industrial air pollution. “We are making huge investments in air quality monitoring. And so when we are expanding, then it also becomes an imperative that we should be focusing on the quality,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director at the think tank. A public health emergency A study last year by the medical journal Lancet linked long-term exposure to polluted air to 1.5 million additional deaths every year in India, compared to a scenario where the country would have met WHO standards. Yet earlier this month, Prataprao Jadhav, India’s junior health minister, said there is no conclusive data available in the country to establish a direct correlation of death or disease exclusively to air pollution. Shweta Narayan, a campaign lead at the Global Climate and Health Alliance, said that air pollution is still not taken seriously as a public health issue. “Deaths related to air pollution are not being counted. And the reason why it’s not being counted is because there are no systematic mechanisms to do so,” Narayan said. Narayan said pollution causes long-term health problems for everyone exposed, but that it’s especially bad for pregnant women, the elderly and children. “As a consequence of exposure to air pollution, we see a lot of preterm births, miscarriages, low birth weight. Exposure at this stage has a lifelong consequence,” she said. A lack of political will Earlier this month, New Delhi residents took to the streets to protest against dirty air and demand immediate government action in a relatively rare instance of public demonstrations. “We do not know whether … citizens will be able to link air pollution to elections, but perhaps that’s where India is moving toward,” environmentalist Vimlendu Jha said in an interview. “Citizens are fed up.” Jha said authorities are not being honest about the problem and that there is a lack of political will to address the issue. “There’s more headline and image management than pollution management,” he said, adding that the high levels of pollution have been treated as normal by political leaders. “The first thing that the government needs to do is to be honest about the problem that we have,” he said. “The right diagnosis is extremely critical.” Regardless of whether policymakers act, the consequences of dirty air for the residents of India’s capital are evident. “Everyone feels the pollution. People are not able to work or even breathe,” said Satish Sharma, a 60-year-old auto rickshaw driver. Sharma said he has reduced his work hours as his health has deteriorated in the last few weeks because of the pollution. “I want to tell the government to please do something about this pollution,” he said. “Otherwise, people will move away from here.”

‘This is how we did it’: China embassy has advice for Delhi pollution; ultra-strict vehicle norms, public transport push key

NEW DELHI: How did Beijing go from being the ‘smog capital of the world' to footnotes in research papers on tackling air pollution? China has lessons for India. In a series of posts on X, spokesperson of the Chinese embassy in India, Yu Jing laid out the path that Beijing followed to drastically improve air quality. "Both China and India know the struggle with air pollution amid rapid urbanization. While the challenge remains complex, China's sustained efforts over the past decade have delivered noticeable improvements..." Jing posted. Beijing's annual PM 2.5 average in 2013 was 101.7 ug/m3. In 2024, it stood at 30.9 ug/m3. In her posts that followed, Jing spoke about the steps taken in transport and industry sectors that led to better air. "How did Beijing tackle air pollution? Step 1: Vehicle emissions control. Adopt ultra-strict regulations like China 6NI (on par with Euro 6). Phase-out retired old, high-emission vehicles. Curb car growth via license-plate lotteries and odd-even / weekday driving rules. Build one of the world's largest metro and bus networks. Accelerate the shift to electric mobility. Work with the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region on coordinated emissions cuts. Cleaner air doesn't happen overnight—but it is achievable," she said. Addressing air pollution from industry, Jing said, "Step 2: Industrial Restructuring. Shut down or remove 3000+ heavy industries. Relocating Shougang, one of China's largest steelmakers, alone cut inhalable particles by 20%. Transform vacated factories into parks, commercial zones, cultural and tech hubs. Example, the former Shougang site became the 2022 Winter Olympics venue. Relieve non-capital functions by relocating wholesale markets, logistics hubs and some educational and medical institutions. Coordinate regional integration by shifting general manufacturing to Hebei, while retaining high-value R&D and services in Beijing." These interventions are not unheard of in India. Cleaner fuel for vehicles as well as industry, a curb on growth of private vehicles and robust public transport have been part of discussions for at least a decade. According to experts, the difference is in the scale and seriousness of the action. "In China, action was not taken just in Beijing but in 26 cities and towns to tackle the problem, which is regional. The first lesson is that the actions they took were urgent, stringent, and at a large scale. They took deep to enable massive energy transition, like getting rid of coal not only in industry but also in household use. Beijing also capped the number of cars that can be sold in a year even as it created infrastructure for public transport. We will find similarities in our plans for Delhi-NCR but the scale is missing," said Anumita Roy Chaudhuri, Executive Director, Research and Advocacy, Centre For Science and Environment. She also said action in Delhi is taken only during air emergencies. "We can't have just emergency measures. The implementation of these actions has to be round-the clock," she said. Sunil Dahiya, Founder and Lead Analyst at the think tank EnviroCatalyst, said, "We already have BS6, which is equivalent to Euro 6, and the latest decision on not allowing BS VI or below vehicles in Delhi seems to be in the right direction. All the steps suggested for vehicular pollution were tried in India, but they didn't work only because there wasn't a political will." On industrial pollution, Dahiya said shifting or removing all industries to a different region might be difficult as we are dealing with the livelihood of people residing in several states. "We can instead come up with better facilities. For instance, small and medium enterprises or manufacturing units mostly use undesignated fuel and lack air pollution control devices. We can introduce better mechanisms with common pollution control devices, emission control devices, and restructuring industrial clusters," he said, adding that since 2019, no strict measures have been taken against power plants.

Why 50% WFH May Be Easier Said Than Done

For office-goers in Delhi, the 50% work-from-home directive under GRAP may have promised shorter commutes and added flexibility, but, in reality, the measure appears half-baked at best. Many employees remain confused, with some unaware that such a directive even exists, while others say they are planning to implement it or have already done so. Delhi govt on Wednesday announced that it would mandatorily enforce the order in private as well as govt offices from Dec 18. In the past month, when GRAP-III curbs was imposed, many expressed apprehension on social media. One user had posted on X: "Not all offices, only those which come under GNCTD. There are numerous offices under the Centre, which don't fall under GNCTD's purview." Another wrote, "Ye kaise decide hoga ki kaun se 50% ko bhagwan bharose chhodna hai (how will it be decided which 50% is left at the mercy of God)?" The confusion was reflected on the ground. Delhi govt employees were still waiting for official instructions. "It hasn't been implemented yet, and there is no information on when it will be. But there are chances it may begin by Thursday," said an official working at Delhi Secretariat. Meanwhile, private sector staff sent mixed signals. A govt bank official said marketing staff had been advised to work from home, but core banking operations still required employees to report to office. In large private firms, flexibility seemed easier to manage. Tushar, who worked for a London-based company with an office in Delhi, said, "Usually, our office is quite flexible. Even without an order, if we request, we can work from home. But no official communication has come to us regarding WFH under this directive." Many smaller firms did not seem to take the 50% WFH order seriously. Rohit, who runs a small advertising firm, said, "We do not have the manpower to allow work from home. We can't guarantee that staff will be diligent without supervision." Salil Bhatia, director of a financial consultant firm, said, "We haven't implemented it and have no plan to do so. As a chartered accountant firm, auditing requires client visits, and our staff lacks the resources at home to work efficiently. Moreover, there's no one to monitor or answer their queries remotely." Some, however, said they had requested employees to use public transportation. "But we have mandated masks for everyone." TOI found that only a handful of firms have gone for 50% WFH so far—most of them are already running some form of remote work. It remains to be seen how things change from Wednesday. In other cases, companies with permanent WFH staff are splitting teams according to job roles and team strength. An employee at a B2B company explained, "We have done 60-40 — while 60%, like our sales team, are out in the field, 40% who handle desk jobs are working from home after GRAP orders." Even the order itself leaves ample room for interpretation — who qualifies for WFH, what counts as essential work, and how strictly the rules will be enforced. Many offices have been left guessing, while several smaller establishments admit they cannot afford to function with staff working from home. Past GRAP orders for Delhi govt have required 50% attendance, while allowing secretaries to call in staff, creating loopholes. While the order mentions that private offices functioning within the NCT of Delhi are expected to follow the 50% rule with staggered hours and minimal movement, enforcement remains unclear. Exemptions cover hospitals, utilities, transport, enforcement and disaster services. The order also mentions "other essential services", leaving room for interpretation. For instance, the status of contractual or security staff remains unclear. Under GRAP-III, district magistrates and local bodies were tasked with ensuring compliance. An official from one of the DM offices told TOI: "After the order, we will now issue directions to the eligible parties, but yes, the onus is also on the offices themselves." Although violations under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, are punishable under sections 15 and 16 — with fines up to Rs 1 lakh, Rs 5,000 per day for ongoing breaches or imprisonment of up to seven years — it is still uncertain who will issue the penalty. Whether compliance will be checked periodically is still too early to predict. Many employees, both in govt and private offices, say it will take a few days before clarity and actual implementation follow. Vivek Chattopadhyay, principal programme manager (clean air and sustainable mobility) at Centre for Science and Environment, said, "The purpose of this move is to reduce the number of vehicles on the road, given that they are a major source of pollution. For listed govt organisations, circulars can be sent directly, especially to the larger ones, as the responsible authorities can manage that." He added: "Many sectors are not very organised, so in practice, implementation can be difficult. It is a bit soon to check the implementation also. That said, periodic checks should be in place, and sectors must be clearly identified and guided with precise directions."

बीजिंग ने प्रदूषण को कैसे हराया? ‘गैस चैंबर’ बनती दिल्ली के लिए चीन की स्टेप-बाय-स्टेप गाइड

दिल्ली में प्रदूषण लगातार चिंता बढ़ा रहा है। नतीजन सरकार की सख्ती के बाद पूरे दिल्ली में वर्क फ्रॉम होम, बिना पीयूसी पेट्रोल न मिलने जैसी सख्त पाबंदियां लागू की गई हैं। 'गैस चैंबर' बनती दिल्ली के लिए चीन के दूतावास की प्रवक्ता यू जिंग ने स्टेप-बाय-स्टेप गाइड शेयर की है। उन्होंने बताया कि कभी दुनिया की ‘स्मॉग कैपिटल’ कहलाने वाला बीजिंग आज वायु प्रदूषण से निपटने की मिसाल है। कहा कि चीन ने बीते एक दशक में ऐसे ठोस कदम उठाए, जिनकी वजह से बीजिंग की हवा में बड़ा सुधार देखने को मिला है। चीनी अधिकारी यू जिंग ने दिल्ली और बीजिंग की तुलना की है। उनके मुताबिक वर्ष 2013 में बीजिंग में पीएम 2.5 का औसत स्तर 101.7 माइक्रोग्राम प्रति घन मीटर था, जो 2024 में घटकर 30.9 माइक्रोग्राम रह गया। उन्होंने कहा कि तेज शहरीकरण के बावजूद चीन ने लगातार प्रयास किए, जिससे हवा की गुणवत्ता में स्पष्ट सुधार संभव हो सका। प्रदूषण कम करने के क्या फॉर्मूले बताए उन्होंने आगे कहा कि बीजिंग में प्रदूषण से निपटने की पहली बड़ी रणनीति वाहन उत्सर्जन को नियंत्रित करना रही। इसके तहत यूरोप के मानकों के बराबर बेहद सख्त नियम लागू किए गए, पुराने और ज्यादा धुआं छोड़ने वाले वाहनों को सड़कों से हटाया गया। निजी गाड़ियों की संख्या नियंत्रित करने के लिए लाइसेंस प्लेट लॉटरी, ऑड-ईवन और सप्ताह के तय दिनों में वाहन चलाने जैसे नियम लागू किए गए। साथ ही मेट्रो और बस नेटवर्क का बड़े पैमाने पर विस्तार किया गया और इलेक्ट्रिक वाहनों को तेजी से बढ़ावा दिया गया। आसपास के क्षेत्रों के साथ मिलकर प्रदूषण घटाने की साझा रणनीति अपनाई गई। फैक्ट्रियों से होने वाले प्रदूषण पर भी चीन ने कड़े कदम उठाए। बीजिंग से 3,000 से अधिक भारी उद्योगों को बंद या दूसरी जगह स्थानांतरित किया गया। देश की बड़ी स्टील कंपनी शौगांग को हटाने से ही हवा में घातक कणों में करीब 20 प्रतिशत की कमी आई। खाली हुई औद्योगिक जमीन को पार्क, व्यावसायिक क्षेत्र और तकनीकी हब में बदला गया। शौगांग का पुराना परिसर 2022 के शीतकालीन ओलंपिक का प्रमुख स्थल भी बना। विशेषज्ञों की राय भारत में भी स्वच्छ ईंधन, निजी वाहनों पर नियंत्रण और मजबूत सार्वजनिक परिवहन जैसे उपायों पर लंबे समय से चर्चा होती रही है। विशेषज्ञों का कहना है कि फर्क कार्रवाई के पैमाने और गंभीरता का है। सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट की विशेषज्ञ अनुमिता रॉय चौधरी के अनुसार चीन ने सिर्फ बीजिंग नहीं, बल्कि आसपास के 26 शहरों में एक साथ सख्त कदम उठाए। कोयले के उपयोग को उद्योगों के साथ-साथ घरों से भी हटाया गया और कारों की संख्या पर सख्त सीमा तय की गई। विशेषज्ञों का कहना है कि दिल्ली में अधिकतर कदम सिर्फ आपात स्थिति में उठाए जाते हैं, जबकि प्रदूषण पर नियंत्रण के लिए सालभर लगातार कार्रवाई जरूरी है। वहीं, औद्योगिक प्रदूषण को लेकर यह भी कहा गया है कि उद्योगों को पूरी तरह हटाना मुश्किल है, लेकिन बेहतर तकनीक, साझा प्रदूषण नियंत्रण व्यवस्था और सख्त निगरानी से स्थिति सुधारी जा सकती है।