Green fuel has cleared the air

By Lalit K. Jha

NEW DELHI, JUNE 3. The fight against air pollution in the Capital which began in right earnest in 1995 has finally started yielding results. Statistics now show that not only has the rising trend in pollution levels been checked, but it is also coming down.

Introduction of unleaded petrol, reduction of sulphur in diesel from about 1 to .05 per cent, specifications for pre-mixed 2T oil -- a major source of pollution in two and three-wheelers -- tightening of emission norms and phasing out of commercial vehicles more than eight years old have all contributed to this changed scenario.

Describing it as a ``major achievement'', particularly since the benefits of CNG are yet to be ascertained coupled with the fact that the number of private vehicles on the city roads continues to grow, the Central Pollution Control Board chairman, Mr. Dilip Biswas, says the ``marked improvement'' in fuel quality since 1995 is one of the major factors for this change. ``What Britain took 30 years to accomplish, we have done in five years,'' he said.

This development augurs well for the future considering that vehicular pollution contributes nearly 70 per cent of total air pollution in Delhi.

``Though Delhi remains a polluted city, there is not much of chemical pollution here,'' informs Mr. Biswas. The period between 1989-95 saw a rapid increase in pollution levels. ``We consider 1995 as the peak year. We have now reached the half-way mark, but still have a long way to go.''

To be sure, the best place to experience this ``change'' is the busy ITO traffic intersection where toxic fumes no longer irritate the eyes. Carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, lead and sulphur dioxide levels have all shown a declining trend here. The annual average of 42 microgram per cubic metre of sulphur dioxide in 1995 came down to 18 last year. Significantly this past week it has been hovering between 10 and 12, which the CPCB ascribes to the rains. ``The decline is mainly due to the use of low sulphur diesel,'' Mr. Biswas points out.

Reduction in annual average nitrogen dioxide level from 40 microgram per cubic metre in 1996 to 36 last year has been attributed to the phasing out of old commercial vehicles and implementation of Euro-I and subsequently Euro-II norms for petrol and diesel driven private vehicles. At ITO -- considered the bench mark for pollution figures -- it came down from 75 in 1996 to 59 in 2000. Further, there has been a marked decline in the annual lead level after introduction of unleaded petrol in 1995.

Though the annual average level of carbon monoxide continues to hover above the danger mark of 2,000 microgram per cubic metre, there has been a ``gradual decline'' from over 5,500 in 1995 to less than 4,700 last year. Last week, it hovered between 2,200 and 2,500 at ITO.

However, the presence of dust particles in the atmosphere continues to be a major area of concern. Measured in terms of Suspended Particulate Matter and Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter, these have so far shown no definite sign of stabilising even if there has been no remarkable increase. ``If we take care of the dust, Delhi's pollution problem will be solved,'' Mr. Biswas says. ``What we now require is a major operation de- dusting,'' he adds.

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