Delhi air not improving due to 8 million vehicles, free parking, massive dumping of construction waste, brick kilns constantly burning to feed construction boom, poor and homeless burn rubbish to stay warm-BBC

2/3/14, "Why Delhi is losing its clean air war," BBC, By Jay Mazoomdaar, Delhi

"The CNG advantage was soon squandered due to Delhi's ever expanding fleet of more than eight million vehicles. 

"Parking is virtually free in Delhi. There is no congestion tax; no incentive for petrol-run cars. Public transport lacks feeder services and last mile connectivity. Heavy traffic makes cars crawl and spew more fumes. The pollution levels are now worse than pre-CNG days," says Anumita Roy Chowdhury, executive director of CSE.

In an ever expanding Delhi, the dumping of massive quantities of construction waste is a major reason for heavy dust pollution. As is substantial loss of city forests that once stood in the way of dusty winds from the arid west.

Between November and February, air pollution levels peak anyway due to a drop in temperature and frequent calm wind conditions. A string of seasonal activities in and around Delhi makes it far worse.

More than 1,000 brick kilns that cater to Delhi's construction boom burn away within 20km (12 miles) of the city during the dry winter spell, according to Dr Sarath Guttikunda, director of Urban Emissions Info.

Agricultural waste is set on fire across thousands of hectares around Delhi to clear cropland, which burns for days on end. 

Massive quantities of fireworks go up in smoke during the festival of Diwali and year-end celebrations. The city's poor and homeless burn rubbish to stay warm at night."...





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