By OP Agarwal

The air we breathe in Delhi has deteriorated to unprecedented levels. Most people say this is the worst they have ever encountered. As I write this, the Air Quality Index in New Delhi is around 470. Health advisories recommend that we suspend our morning walk if the index crosses 400 and that we stay indoors if it crosses 500. So, we are very close to being confined to our homes and not move out. Such is the crisis currently facing Delhi.

A more effective measure may be to increase the cost of vehicle use on a short-term basis. For example, increasing the fuel tax or increasing the parking fee over a few days would have the effect of permitting emergency travel to take place and yet persuading non-emergency travel to be postponed. People would decide on their trips by judging importance vis-à-vis the cost. There are also other emergency measures that can also be taken, perhaps with more significant impact.

Encouraging offices and other agencies to be liberal in allowing people to work from home for a week would have more positive impacts. Persuading schools to close for a few days would not only reduce vehicular trips but also save children for the adverse health impacts. In emergency situations, there is barely any time to think and debate.

Hence, the best decisions are often not made. One is always wiser in hindsight and one must recognise that. Therefore, it is useful to develop and publicise a graded response system that clearly lays down the measures that would be invoked at different levels of emergency. If people are aware of this, they would be prepared for it and face less harassment each time an emergency takes place. Further, once the emergency is over, sustained actions are needed to prevent recurrence. Crop burning by farmers in Punjab and emissions from the transport system emissions seem to be among the biggest contributors. If that be so, what are the best methods of reducing emissions from each of these contributors? Clearly, the transport system in Delhi needs improvement. The belief that the metro is sufficient to ease the situation is not the right. Bus systems are a critical complement to the metro in any city. Unfortunately, these are inadequate in quality and quantity. Delhi needs 10 ..