• Source:JND

Delhi Air Pollution: Every winter, Delhi-NCR struggles with toxic air, despite multiple measures to improve the city’s Air Quality Index (AQI). A dense blanket of smoke and dust has blanketed the national capital, making breathing difficult and leaving residents across households suffering from persistent coughs and stinging eyes.

As the air quality continued to deteriorate on Friday with AQI levels nearing the severe mark, the Chinese embassy in India shared how Beijing, once called the “smog capital” of the world, managed to reduce air pollution, offering possible lessons for tackling Delhi’s smog crisis.

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China Air Pollution

Air pollution in Beijing, China’s capital, started escalating around 2007 and by 2011, the situation had surpassed even Delhi in terms of severity. Thick, grey smog engulfed the city, with PM2.5 levels reaching dangerously high concentrations, Jagran.com reported.

In 2013, Beijing’s Air Quality Index (AQI) soared to 755, prompting several reports to label the city the most polluted in the world and marking 2013 as the most polluted year in China’s history. Since then, China implemented strict regulations and enforced pollution-control measures, successfully bringing down the city’s smog levels over the years.

How Did Beijing Tackle Air Pollution?

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Yu Jing, spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in India, shared tips on how China fought a similar battle to New Delhi. She emphasised that this improvement is the result of China’s sustained efforts over the past decade, adding, “We will share a bite-sized series exploring how China tackled air pollution.”

Step 1: Jing emphasised that controlling vehicle emissions was a key factor. She listed out a series of measures that helped Beijing tackle air pollution caused by vehicular emissions.

- Adopt ultra-strict regulations like China 6NI (on par with Euro 6)

- Phase-out retired old, high-emission vehicles

- Curb car growth via license-plate lotteries and odd-even / weekday driving rules

- Build one of the world’s largest metro and bus networks

- Accelerate the shift to electric mobility

Work with the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region on coordinated emissions cuts

Step 2: Yu Jing also highlighted industrial restructuring as a key element in tackling air pollution and elaborated on how China did it.

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- Shut down or remove 3000+ heavy industries. Relocating Shougang, one of China’s largest steelmakers, alone cut inhalable particles by -20 per cent.

- Transform vacated factories into parks, commercial zones, cultural and tech hubs. E.g. The former Shougang site became a 2022 Winter Olympics venue.

- Relieve non-capital functions by relocating wholesale markets, logistics hubs and some educational & medical institutions.

- Coordinate regional integration by shifting general manufacturing to Hebei, while retaining high-value R&D and services in Beijing.

Can Delhi Follow Beijing Path To Tackle Air Pollution?

Speaking to Jagran.com, Dr Dipankar Saha, former Additional Director of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), highlighted that Beijing and Delhi are two different geographical regions. “The climate, government policies, public habits, and administrative methods differ greatly between the two cities,” he said.

He emphasised that while China, as a dictatorship, can control the number of vehicles and people entering the city, such measures are not feasible in a democratic country like India. However, Saha listed out some key measures which can be taken during the winter months to tackle air pollution:

- Strict enforcement of guidelines for solid waste, construction debris, and roadwork.

- Dust control and strict monitoring of emissions.

- Using weather forecasts to plan and implement preventive actions.

- Applying uniform rules consistently across the region.

- Improved land-use planning and creation of buffer zones.

- Designating certain areas as vehicle-free zones.

- Complete bans on burning activities, including garbage, tyres, and crop residue.

- Development of riverbanks to minimise dust generation.

- Rigorous enforcement of regulations and encourage active public participation to curb pollution.


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