Smog is the mixture of fog (moisture in the air) and smoke (suspended pollutants). The health consequences of Smog are debilitating especially for children:
1. smog pollutants like PM2.5 has the capability to evade body's natural filter and enter blood streams.
2. patients with Asthma and heart disease are more at risk.
3. new born children would have long term consequences, as their chest would not get natural growth. Thus, long term cough
could emerge.
4. pollutants can include carcinogenic elements like lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury.
Causes of air pollution in Delhi:
1. Geographic reason:
- Delhi being land locked, didn't have the support of oceanic circulations as been with Chennai and Mumbai.
2. Weather pattern:
- anti-cyclonic conditions persist over Delhi after the withdrawal of monsoon. It slows down the wind speed to disperse pollution.
3. Cropping pattern:
- Punjab has developed Wheat-Rice cultivation patter. The rice cultivation with machinery results in more paddy stubble. Without
any alternatives to mange such large amount leads to burning.
4. Rapid Urbanization:
- governance deficit leads to unauthorized constructions in Delhi's fringes. Dust from these sites exaggerate the smog.
5. Vehicular pollution:
- petrochemical smog happens in the presence of sun light resulted in ground level ozone.
Reasons for policy failures:
1. Policy initiatives have seen Delhi as a distinct space to be dealt with, with less concern to neighbor's contributions.
2. Multiple agencies with overlapping jurisdiction results in blame game.
3. Absence of cooperative federalism. etc.
CONCLUSION:To conclude, alternatives to stubble burning, waste management, enhancing public transport and launch graded action plan would assist in containing Delhi's pollution.
