Not stubble burning, cars are the main villain in Delhi's apocalyptic air pollution
Vehicles are the largest source of air pollution in the city, studies have consistently shown.
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On November 18, Delhi breathed its worst air ever recorded. With the Air Quality Index at 494, the fourth level of the Graded Response Action Plan snapped into place that morning, putting a stop on all construction activity and the entry of trucks into the city.
As the Supreme Court ordered schools to be closed, Delhi government blamed the Centre for failing to control stubble burning, especially in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.
However, research shows stubble burning is not the main cause of Delhi’s toxic smog. A study found that, averaged out through the year, stubble burning contributed less than 3% to hazardous particulate matter in 2017.
The largest source of air pollution in Delhi is its vehicular load. In 2019, the Council on Energy, Environment and Water, a research organisation, analysed several studies that broke down the contribution of air pollution by source. It found that vehicles on the road contributed anywhere between one-third to two-thirds of Delhi’s toxic air in 2018.
Confirming this, a study this year by the Centre for Science and Environment found that...
