No Happy Lohri or Diwali when Delhi chokes for air

Contrary to popular belief, cars and other automobiles are not the top polluter in the NCR's battle against air pollution. They are only one of the main culprits. Here is a list of the main contenders and some possible solutions to help decrease air pollution in the NCR region.

1.) The cold: Yes, winter is one of the main reasons why NCR gets so polluted. The reality is that we live in a third world country and people burn anything (including rubber tyres) to keep their hands warm.

Solution: If you notice employees of companies outside buildings doing this, please ask the building owners to provide heaters. That small step will lead to a huge respite for the city. Start by doing it yourself!

Another solution: At social gatherings, avoid using angeethis where possible because it amounts to the same problem.

2.) Brick kilns: Approximately two-thirds of Delhi borders Haryana. Of all the brick kilns in Haryana, 50 per cent fall within a 100km radius of Delhi. The numbers are similar for the remaining one-third of the border with Uttar Pradesh. Essentially there is a ring of heavily polluting kilns around Delhi.

Solution: That's a tough one. Probably some sort of regulation. If you are a "connected" person, use that to fix this, perhaps?

3.) Motor vehicles: With a lack of decent public transport, everyone aspires to have a car to get respite from the climate and the air pollution. This is a catch-22 situation that leads to more cars on the road, and more pollution. The real killers are the heavy goods vehicles aka trucks. They ply through the city while everyone sleeps.

Solution: Build the planned bypasses around the city. It's called KMP or Kundli-Manesar-Palwal. This should decrease at least 100,000 trucks every night that billow diesel fumes.

Another solution: Better public transport…? Election around the corner. Watch this space.

4.) Dust: Apparently 50 per cent of the pollution is dust. That's a big problem. It is down to incomplete work. When you remove vegetation from land, it needs to be replaced to stop top soil from becoming dust.

Solution: Simple, complete the work properly. All sidewalks, buildings, roads, etc. should be finished immaculately to avoid any gaps.

Another solution: The construction industry can help by raising standards to avoid dust.

5.) Lohri and Diwali: Our dear Diwali marks the start of this pollution season and it lasts till about Holi. That brings me to the title of this piece. Huge Lorhi bonfires are something we can avoid. We can keep them as small as possible and promptly extinguish them after the ceremony.

So what's the fuss actually all about? The answer is PM2.5 or Particulate Matter less than 2.5 microns in diameter. According to PNAS, these penetrate deeply into the alveolar region of the lungs and may even be able to cross into the blood. Over the last two decades, researchers have worked to determine the basis for these effects beyond the lungs. Evidence suggests that PM 2.5 triggers an inflammatory response and causes oxidative damage, among other things. PM 2.5 may increase plaque formation in blood vessels and could affect the autonomous nervous system, which controls the heartbeat. The complete picture is an object of ongoing research.

Let's not wait to find out the exact results. Similar to smoking and cancer, if we ignore the obvious, it might harm us more in the long term. Wishing you a very Happy Lohri, and good health.