According to a study released by World Health Organisation (WHO), New Delhi is now the most polluted city in the world. However, unlike Beijing, someone still hasn’t come up with the idea of packing fresh oxygen from the Himalayas in a bag and selling it in the capital city. Now, a court in Delhi has played spoilsport if you had such intentions and ordered all vehicles older than 15 years to be banned from the streets of Delhi, in an effort to rescue the lungs of a city that are breathing some of the dirtiest air in the world.
Delhi has the highest concentration of PM2.5 — particulate matters less than 2.5 microns– form of air pollution, which is considered most serious and can cause respiratory diseases and other health problems. The situation is so bad in the national capital that its air has PM2.5 concentrations of 153 micrograms and PM10 concentrations of 286 micrograms–much more than the permissible limits, says the WHO. In comparison, Beijing, which was once considered one of the most polluted cities, has PM2.5 concentration of 56 micrograms and PM10 concentration of 121 micrograms.
Strangely, the ruling overlooks the fact that about 1500 new cars hit the roads of New Delhi each day, which although don’t pollute as much as older vehicles, it isn’t Evian water coming out of their tail pipes. The new ruling could work in the favor of car manufacturers though, as people with older cars will be left with no alternative to sell them and buy new. Do you think the ruling should help clear a city perennially engulfed in smog? Have any suggestions? Voice them out in the comments section below.
It’s very short term solution. Only effective solution is electricity or bio diesel fuelled public transport.