It should hardly come as a surprise to anyone that 30 of the 35 least polluted cities in India in the World Air Quality Report for 2021 are from the four southern states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh. However, when one looks at this report from the point of view of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan and Haryana (all northern states), it seems to be a harsh reality. Delhi, the capital of the country, has left everyone behind in pollution. According to the report, while the air pollution level in southern cities like Kochi, Chennai, Amaravati and Bengaluru is between 40 and 70, it is between 100 and 170 in Lucknow, Patna, Jaipur and Rohtak. The average level of Delhi is 230.
The states of the south also have a great advantage geographically. Indeed, their borders are bordered by the sea on at least one side. In this case, the winds from the oceans around the sub-continent blow away the pollutants in a jiffy. In comparison, the northern states with land borders do not have this facility. Dusty air gets trapped in these areas and keeps circulating in them, which spreads more and more pollution. In the summer months, it seems that the whole of North India has become a dust bowl. In these months, where dust storms reduce visibility, in winter the cold air mixes with moisture and pollutants to form such a thick fog that visibility becomes almost zero.
In North India, the winds coming from the Thar Desert take control of the cities of Uttar Pradesh. In addition, emissions from factories and vehicles also add to the problem. Then, in many cities of North India, large-scale construction related activities also go on continuously, due to which the climate here is getting worse. But the southern states are no less polluted simply because of the natural benefits. In the last several years, many such measures have been taken here, which have made progress in this matter.
Most importantly, the southern states are living better social indicators than the northern states of the country. According to NITI Aayog, World Bank studies conducted in large states show that Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana have outperformed all other states in terms of overall performance. Health services, governance and information were also included in this study.
There is far more youth in North India than in the South, as the population of the southern state is aging rapidly. North India definitely needs to utilize this demographic dividend for the overall and rapid development of the nation. But high population growth is adding to the pressure on the northern states. For example, in the next 15 years, the population of Bihar may exceed that of Maharashtra. Rajasthan is also the most populous state than Tamil Nadu. Obviously, while there is a population explosion in the north, the rate of population growth is declining in the south.
This undoubtedly has an impact on the level of air pollution. A recent report by the ‘Global Burden of Disease’ states that air pollution was the cause of 5.5 million premature deaths worldwide in 2013. It is now well known that air pollution has serious effects on human health, especially on the respiratory system and heart. In addition, it profoundly affects crop yields and biodiversity and ecosystems.
Another reason for air pollution is increasing urbanization. Tamil Nadu and Kerala are one of the most urbanized provinces in India. The population of the state is roughly divided between rural and urban. Even in rural areas, adequate health facilities and civic administration can be seen. More or less the same story is of Kerala and Karnataka. In contrast, 22 per cent of Uttar Pradesh is urban. If seen, Uttar Pradesh tops the country in terms of settlement in rural population.
The situation of air pollution in North India gets worse during the winter season. At present, in the southern states, where the average level of pollution is between good to moderate, in the north it is never normal. Even in the best-case scenario, the air pollution index in cities like Delhi remains three times the acceptable level. During Diwali, the level of PM 2.5 goes beyond 1,000 due to firecrackers. Whereas in states like Tamil Nadu, one can feel how people go to their villages during festivals, and are prepared to protect the nature and climate by returning to their roots.
Air pollution in Delhi is also due to burning of stubble after harvesting by farmers in Punjab-Haryana. The smoke trapped in the atmosphere moves east towards the capital and other cities. Due to this a black sheet of mist and fog spreads there. There have been many such studies in this regard, which show that air pollution reduces life expectancy.
Clearly, there is a need to increase awareness among the general public about clean climate due to unacceptable level of air pollution. Industrial units should be kept as far away from dense settlements, necessary steps should be taken to reduce the level of pollution during construction activities and greenery should be increased in urban areas. Apart from all this, there is also a need to promote green transport. If the South has some lessons, the North can apply them.
(These are the author’s own views)