As India marches towards its goal of Viksit Bharat with rapid economic growth, one of the most pressing issues—rising pollution levels to environmental degradation—is conspicuous by its absence in electoral agendas. A study of air quality data collected from January to June this year by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air shows 15 of the hundred most polluted cities in India are in Haryana. The study also reveals that all Haryana cities exceeded the safe limits for PM10 level set by India’s National Ambient Air Quality Standard and the World Health Organization.
Haryana is just a month away from choosing a new government. The state is a classic example of how rapid industrialisation and urbanisation can worsen pollution levels. Yet, no party has made this scourge a part of its political discourse. Perhaps, Indian parties can learn from how political outfits in other nations contribute to society by making impactful interventions. For example, political parties in western countries have played an important role in drawing public attention to environmental disasters and the need for adopting a sustainable lifestyle.
India has been witnessing extreme weather events as a result of climate change. A rare convective activity that combined cloudburst and high wind uprooted over one lakh trees in Telangana earlier this week. The town of Joshimath in Uttarakhand is sinking. Indiscriminate felling of trees and construction activity is playing havoc with the fragile Himalayas, which are witnessing frequent landslides. The melting glaciers and dying rivers are threatening life and livelihood. India’s monsoons have become erratic, and in recent years, extreme rainfall has led to catastrophic floods. Poor urban planning, wetland encroachment, and deforestation have compounded the impact of floods. India’s long coastline makes it vulnerable to cyclones, whose increasing frequency has been largely attributed to rising sea surface temperatures.
The time for action is now. Recurring disasters underscore deeper issues, namely unplanned and unchecked development. This, combined with weak environmental regulations, has spelt disaster. India needs stronger environmental laws that must be enforced strictly. A good start is to get political parties to integrate environmental policies with their electoral agenda. The voters need to demand their right to clean air and water and sustainable cities and towns.