What's odd about the odd-even debate?

Vehicular pollution, these days, is the subject of intense debate globally (Climate Summit in Paris) as well nationally (debate on ‘odd-even’ policy in Delhi). Terms like air quality and pollution have moved beyond realms of scientific and research conversations to common day talk. But something is odd about the debate as some key points are missing from the discourse. Three such points are considered next.

The first point for us to recognize is that the persistent smog and poor air quality in Delhi is not a result of vehicular pollution only. It is but a result of multiple factors, including emissions from industries and power plants, pollutants due to local construction activities, open burning of biomass (for cooking) and agricultural residues in and around Delhi, and prevailing weather conditions. When the objective is to improve the air quality of Delhi, addressing vehicular pollution is necessary, but not sufficient. Therefore any action focusing on only one cause is likely to yield less-than desired result. There is no instant cause and there will be no instant solution either.

Secondly, we also need to realize that when it comes to vehicles being the culprit, it is not quantity of vehicles alone (remember Delhi does not have the maximum cars in the world) but also because of the quality of vehicles. Quality includes age of vehicle, emission norms of engine, state of engine etc. For example, a diesel car compliant with Bharat Stage (BS) IV emission norms is likely to emit up to 22% less CO, and 50% less hydrocarbon (HC), oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) compared to that compliant with BS III norms. Quality of vehicles is crucial to be monitored, and some of the steps could include phasing out vehicles not deemed fit with desired emission norms, by making pollution testing stringent and strictly enforcing it, by introducing stringent BS norms more frequently (compared to equivalent Euro norms, BS norms are delayed by more than 5 years), and by introducing zero emission vehicles (electric vehicles).

The third and most important point we need to ask ourselves is which path do we want to take as a society, as a nation? A path where with growing income and family, everyone owns or wants to own a car? How many cars can our roads accommodate? How many can our environment tolerate? Or a path where rising income and prosperity does not translate to rising desire to own a car? What is being debated for Delhi today will be debated for Lucknow or Patna or any other city tomorrow. It is the duty of governments to provides us with comfortable, accessible, and economical modes of public transportation (e.g. metro, diesel and electric buses) supported by feeder vehicles (e.g. rickshaws). But the question of which path to choose is for us as society to answer. In our focus on war with vehicles, we must not forget the larger battle for a clean and green environment.

PS: This post was written in the first week of December, since when there have been some developments (e.g. temporary ban on diesel cars in Delhi, advancing BS VI to 2020) which have been suggested above.