Introduction

• World Cities Day, celebrated on October 31, focuses on the theme “Financing Sustainable Urban Future for All.”
• This theme underscores the importance of channeling finances in the right direction to rectify flawed urbanization, making cities more liveable and safer.
• Air pollution is a significant threat, diminishing life expectancy by over 10%.
• The Energy Policy Institute at Chicago (EPIC) reported that 39 of the 50 most polluted cities globally are in India, resulting in an average loss of 5.3 years of life expectancy, reaching 11.9 years for residents of Delhi.
• This emphasizes the urgent need for policy changes to ensure better and healthier urban futures.

Pollution’s Impact on Health

• Air pollution leads to a range of health issues, including burning eyes, respiratory problems, cardiovascular diseases, and asthma.
• Recent reports have labeled air pollution in Mumbai as “Death by Breath,” reflecting unsatisfactory Air Quality Index levels.
• While the problem was initially associated with the Indo-Gangetic plains, coastal cities in India are also witnessing deteriorating air quality.

The Role of ‘Grey’ Infrastructure

• The exacerbation of pollution in Indian cities can be attributed to urban development strategies that prioritize real estate development, road expansion, and unrestricted vehicular use, thus crowding out space for pedestrians.
• Factors like road dust, concrete batching, polluting industries, and vehicular emissions also contribute. Motorized transport alone accounts for 60% of urban pollution.

• The growth in India’s automobile market, expected to reach $160 billion by 2027, highlights the need for rethinking urban development.

Challenges during Winter

• During North Indian winters, crop residue burning, particularly in Haryana and Punjab, exacerbates smog and particulate matter, but this is only a seasonal component of the issue.

• The expansion of construction activities in Indian cities contributes to approximately 10% of air pollution, especially in the National Capital Region.

The Need for a Paradigm Shift

• City residents often lack a participatory role in urbanization and need to become active stakeholders.
• Shifting focus to public transport, secure pedestrian paths, and bicycle lanes, along with regulating construction activities, is essential.
• Investment in public transportation, including adding 10 lakh buses to meet urban mobility demands, must be prioritized.
• Controlling private vehicular movement through congestion taxes and alternate-day driving based on license plate numbers can reduce traffic congestion and pollution.
• Public figures, including city leaders and state chief ministers, should promote public transport.

Environmental Protection and Afforestation

• Protecting urban commons, such as water bodies, urban forests, and parks, is crucial to maintain green spaces within cities.
• Current urban development strategies, often involving land use changes and open space allocation to real estate developers, threaten urban ecology and exacerbate pollution.
• Meaningful afforestation within cities is necessary, rather than planting trees far from urban areas.

Strengthening Governance

Empowering citizens through governance structures is essential. Pollution guides and standard operating procedures should be readily available and integrated into urban life.

Public health advisories should be supported by the medical fraternity. Initiatives such as the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) should be implemented in cities to combat air pollution.

Conclusion

Air pollution is a grave threat to public health, particularly affecting marginalized communities. Financing sustainable urban futures for all is vital to mitigate the adverse effects of flawed urbanization.

Shifting to public transportation, regulating construction activities, protecting urban green spaces, and strengthening governance are crucial steps to combat pollution and ensure healthier lives for all city residents.