Alison Saldanha's report, "Delhi tops most polluted mega city list, says WHO" (October 4), makes some startling revelations. The statistical data highlights the gravity of the situation: Delhi's air (technically measured from September 22 to 28, 2016) was found to be the worst among the world's mega cities. This should send alarm bells ringing in the quarters of government concerned.
The World Health Organization sourced its data on India's air pollution from the Central Pollution Control Board and the Environmental Data Bank and some of the key areas of concern identified were the city's inefficient modes of transport, household fuel and waste burning, coal-fired power plants and industrial activities. Its findings must be taken seriousness by the government and all-out efforts must be made to address them properly.
Selective targeting, as in the past, will not serve any purpose and may even prove counterproductive in the long run. One hopes we will urgently initiate remedial steps to curb pollution.
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The people of Delhi must also lend the government a helping hand in its attempts to deal with the menace of air pollution. This is pertinent also because the National Capital Territory of Delhi is one of the earmarked smart cities.
S Kumar, New Delhi
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