Sid

Two days of continuous rain in Delhi made me realise something about our pollution problem. While it was raining, the air felt remarkably clean. I could breathe comfortably. But within a short time of the rain stopping, especially at night, I could feel the pollution returning with every breath. Even with trees and greenery around, that familiar heaviness in the air was back. And this is why I find it difficult to accept the constant blame placed on farmers for Delhi's pollution. Stubble burning certainly contributes. But I suspect its share is closer to 10–15%, while a much larger portion, perhaps 70–80%, comes from within Delhi-NCR itself. What struck me was how quickly the pollution returned. Delhi itself has very little farmland, and I find it difficult to believe that distant farm fires alone explain such a rapid change in air quality. To me, this points towards a much bigger local pollution problem. One thing I've noticed repeatedly is the amount of loose dust along our roads and footpaths. So many stretches have exposed soil and hardly any greenery. Every passing vehicle sends that dust into the air, where it mixes with exhaust fumes and other pollutants. Rain settles this dust temporarily. Once the roads dry, the same cycle begins again. We talk so much about vehicle emissions, but hardly anyone discusses the dust those very vehicles keep throwing back into the air. I believe this is one area where Delhi could make a real difference. Cover the exposed soil, develop green strips along roads, maintain footpaths properly and stop leaving bare, dusty patches everywhere. It sounds simple, but imagine the impact if this were done properly across Delhi-NCR. It wouldn't eliminate every source of pollution, but I strongly believe it could reduce a significant part of the problem.