Indian Express , Thursday, November 18, 2004

Correspondent : Staff Reporter

New Delhi, November 17: Delhi may well have reduced air pollution levels in the last few years, but new challenges are threatening to undo the good work in the absence of sustained initiative in this direction, said the participants at a lecture on air pollution today. They pointed out that lesser-known toxins like Benzene, Ozone and poly-aromatic compounds are emerging as new headaches in the post-conversion era in the Capital. ‘‘Bucking the general trend, nitrogen dioxide levels are rising in the city,’’ warned Anumita Roy Chowdhury of the Centre for Science and Environment. ‘‘You can never stop finding solutions to the problems. It is time for us to focus, not just on the weight, mass and quantum of the total pollutants but also turn our attention to their toxicity,’’ she said at the event organised by NGO Toxics Link. Dr B. Sengupta, member secretary of the Central Pollution Control Board, drew attention to the fact that despite overall reductions, toxicity levels remain dangerously high. ‘‘Except for lead and sulphur dioxide, the levels of almost all other chemicals are above safety limits, whether it is nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, suspended particles or the prevalence of Benzene and Ozone.’’ He added that Benzene levels at traffic intersections were found to be more than four times the limit set by WHO. ‘‘In almost all major cities, the levels of these chemicals range from 20 to 25 micrograms per cubic meter while the limit is 10. These are only now being monitored here. Dr S.K. Chhabra — who has done an extensive study of the effects of air pollution on Delhiites — expressed concern over the failure to control nitrogen dioxide levels. ‘‘According to my study, 20 to 25 per cent of residents have chronic respiratory symptoms. Sustained and high exposure to nitrogen dioxide can have adverse results on the body where a normal person starts becoming asthmatic. It increases the reactivity inside the air passage. It also leads to the formation of ozone,’’ he said. Participants also expressed hope that policy changes will be brought in to ease the situation. ‘‘Delhi has 3.5 million vehicles, to which we keep adding 200,000 every year. We need to restrict the dieselisation of the city’s private cars, expand alternative fuels and introduce Euro IV norms and change the law which charges a higher road-tax from a passenger bus in a year than a car during its entire life-time,” warned Anumita.

SOURCE : Indian Express , Thursday, November 18, 2004