Literature Review: Air Pollution in Delhi, India, Impacts

This literature review examines the critical issue of air pollution (AP) in Delhi, India, assessing its impacts on the environment and human health. The review highlights key causes such as urbanization, industrialization, and population growth, with a focus on major air pollutants like SO2, NO, CO2, and particulate matter. It explores the effects of AP on human health, including respiratory diseases and climate change, and discusses the role of urbanization and metro expansion in worsening air quality. The review also covers strategies to reduce AP, such as the use of renewable energy and public transport, and examines the contribution of farming practices to Delhi's pollution levels. Continuous air quality monitoring and participatory scenario planning are presented as important tools for addressing and mitigating the effects of AP. Overall, the review emphasizes the need for immediate and effective measures to improve air quality in Delhi and mitigate the global impacts of AP.

Running Head: LR
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Air Pollution in Delhi
Literature Review
(Student Details: )
3/22/2020

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Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................2
Literature Review.......................................................................................................................2
Effects of Air Quality on Health............................................................................................2
Alternatives to reduce AP......................................................................................................3
Key Pollutants for AP............................................................................................................3
Impacts of particulate pollution on human health..................................................................3
Climate Change and AP.........................................................................................................4
Urbanization and AP..............................................................................................................4
Effects of Metro Expansion on AP........................................................................................4
Mortality rates and AP...........................................................................................................5
PSP for Air Pollution.............................................................................................................5
Farming responsible for Delhi AP.........................................................................................5
Other bad impacts of AP........................................................................................................6
Continuous air quality monitoring.........................................................................................6
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................6
References..................................................................................................................................8

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Introduction
` The paper is going to review the literature on Air Pollution (herein after referred as
AP) in Delhi, India while assessing the impacts of AP on the environment as well as on
human health. Generally, AP is a trending problem all across the world which has been rising
abruptly due to some key reasons. Such key reasons for the AP global problem are
urbanization, industrialization, and population growth. The problem of AP has also become
an obstacle in the path of achieving sustainability for all. However, both developed and
developing nations are struggling with the issue. Yet, developed nations are facing this
problem to a large extent because of the extensive use of fossil fuel and non-renewable
energy resources. In this era, the air in the earth's surroundings is polluted due to so many
harmful substances caused due to humans’ daily activities (BBC News, 2020). This
discussion will mainly focus on the key causes of the AP in Delhi, India while covering the
key air pollutants in the city. The AP has become a major problem all across the world and so
as in Delhi, India (NASA, 2019). Yet, this discussion is going to include an illustrated and
well-conducted literature review on AP in Delhi, India because the city is badly facing the
issue of AP that people cannot even breathe in the fresh air. Thus, post conducting a literature
review a summary will be provided at the end of the paper.
Literature Review
This literature review is emphasizing on AP in Delhi, India and the key effects on the
earth’s environment and thereby on human health and growth. With the help of this
discussion, the readers will be able to see the exact situation of AP in the city so that
corrective measures can be taken for future sustainability all across the world.
Effects of Air Quality on Health
According to (Foster & Kumar, 2011), there is a need for identifying the key effects
of air quality regulations on the human health in Delhi to a large extent. In doing so, the
authors have talked about the AP regulations which have been adopted radical measures for
improving air quality in the capital of India. In this context, a short example can be taken as
the conversion of all Delhi commercial vehicles to compressed natural gas (CNG) so that the
health impacts of human beings can be reduced considerably. Also, Delhi Govt. has initiated
the closing of highly polluting businesses and industries within residential areas. In this way,

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this study has found three important findings with the help of detailed analysis. The study has
contributed to a significant improvement in the respiratory health of human beings. Besides,
the study has demonstrated the effect of the above mentioned interventions by gender and
income of the people of Delhi, India. Lastly, the study has found the key effects of AP
regulations on the daily life of humans in Delhi, India.
Alternatives to reduce AP
According to (Inderwildi & King, 2012), the study has considered the role of AP in
creating the whole earth’s environment liveable. While talking about AP, the authors have
also talked about how AP can be reduced with renewable energy, green and eco-friendly
transport and safe earth environment. With this study, it is found that the earth’s environment
is made from this air which is getting polluted due to increased transportation options and
fossil fuel consumption as well. Thus, if AP impacts human health needs to be reduced or
optimized for present and future generations then we need to focus on renewable energy
usage, public transport and thereby other alternatives of reducing AP in Delhi.
Key Pollutants for AP
According to (Rizwan, Nongkynrih, & Gupta, 2013), AP is caused due to some ky air
pollutants such as SO2, NO, CO2, CO, and NO2, as all of these air pollutants change the
ideal proportion of these gases in the air. The authors have highlighted that the magnitude of
AP in the city is so high that preventive measures for human health are not being effective.
The paper has studied the different ways and extent in which AP is affecting human health
into Delhi, India, and hence it has been found that mitigation strategies for AP include the
reduction of AP at the first stage only.
Impacts of particulate pollution on human health
As mentioned by (Guttikunda & Goel, 2013), the authors have researched about major
impacts of particulate pollution on the health of humans in Delhi, India. The study suggests
that long as well as intense exposure of people living in Delhi, India, to air pollutants causes
life-threatening diseases like cancer, asthma, and other breathing diseases. In this context, the
study has highlighted the key air pollutants like nitrogen oxides (NOX), particulate matter
(PM), ozone, carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO) and many others. It is worth
knowing that human health gets worse when the exposure to this AP gets intense and longer.
In this way, human health impacts range from respiratory symptoms, eye irritations to
hospitalization, skin cancer, decreased heart function, malfunction of lungs and many more.

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Climate Change and AP
According to (Edenhofer, 2015), AP plays an important role in climate change in
Delhi and worldwide. This is the reason that the AP problem needs to be addressed
effectively and efficiently. Climate change is directly related to AP in the city because in AP
there are abnormal proportions of gases in the air occurs which also contains CO2. Climate
change is a result of the greenhouse effect and global warming. Both of the above-mentioned
processes are usually caused due to the excessive accumulation of CO2 in the earth’s
atmosphere. Thus, it can be said that when AP in Delhi will be addressed and mitigated then
it will be a huge contribution towards climate change mitigation all across the world.
According to (Urry, 2015), the author has discussed the human health impacts of AP
and thereby climate change on society. With the help of this paper, it has been found that
climate change in society can be critically devastating for the whole world. This is because
climate change caused by AP gives rise to so many natural disasters and life-threatening
diseases. The study has highlighted that in Delhi and its satellite cities, waste burning, vehicle
exhaust, industries, as well as construction activities account for the bulk of the particulate
(PM) pollution which further creates AP to a large extent.
Urbanization and AP
As mentioned by (Kumar, Khare, Harrison, Bloss, & Lewis, 2015), global major cities
are experiencing a time of elevated AP levels. Here, AP in Delhi has exceeded international
health-based air quality standards which ultimately showing an alarming situation for India
and the whole world. It is worth knowing that key sources, emissions, transformations and
thereby wide impacts of meteorology on AP are reasonably well accounted for air quality
control strategies all across developed cities of India. While focusing on Delhi, it has been
found as one of the largest global population centres, facing particular AP challenges,
presently. It is clearly evident that AP is a global problem, which is rapidly expanding in the
metropolitan cities of India and China as well.
Effects of Metro Expansion on AP
According to (Goel & Gupta, 2015), Delhi metro expansion is one of the important causes for
critical AP in the city. It is because the Delhi Metro (DM) refers to a mass rapid transit
system that serves the National Capital Region (NCR) of India. From the perspective of CO2
emissions, it is the world's first rail project which has earned carbon credits under the Clean
Development Mechanism of the United Nations for reductions in CO2 emissions (Plass ,

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Schmidt, & Fleming, 2020). In this way, all of these aforementioned impacts of air
pollutants’ reductions are for the short run which needs to be further extended for sustainable
development. Thus, it has been observed that whole accounting of all long-run costs, in
addition to blessings, must be finished before building capital extensive metro rail tasks in
Delhi, India. In other words, it can be said that the study has found that complete accounting
of all long-run costs, as well as benefits, should be done before building capital intensive
metro rail projects in Delhi, India.
Mortality rates and AP
According to (Maji, Ahmed, Siddiqui, & Ghosh, 2017), there are so many impacts of
air-pollutants on humans’ daily all non-trauma death rate, in the context of Delhi, India. The
chosen study has successfully found statistically important association amid the all-non-
trauma mortality rates as well as air pollutant concentration. Apart from this, in the context of
AP in Delhi, India, this research will allow people to understand health burdens related to
local air quality. In this way, the selected study has allowed understanding the dose-response
of air pollutants for human health impacts within high-exposure-conditions.
PSP for Air Pollution
According to (Flynn, Ford, Pearce, & Harper, 2018), Participatory Scenario Planning
(PSP) in climate change adaptation, impacts, and vulnerability research is common in the
Arctic area. In this study, this approach of PSP is being utilised for further exploring diverse
sectors while covering conventional livelihoods, community planning, resource extraction,
shipping, and most importantly tourism. In this way, the study has successfully identified as
well as evaluated how PSP is useful within community-based AP impacts on the human
health of Delhi, India.
Farming responsible for Delhi AP
According to (Cusworth, Mickley, & Sulprizio, 2018), during the past few decades,
northwest India farmers have considerably swapped to automatic syndicate harvesting for
further boosting the overall efficiency. Therefore, the new harvesting techniques cause
plentiful crop residual over the farmer fields for subsequent planting. When these residue
crops are burnt by the farmers then it causes intense smoke by such fires contributes to the
critical pollution in Delhi, India. In this way, the study suggests that by quantifying the
magnitude of the impact of agriculture-based crop fire emissions on Delhi’s AP; this research

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will be helpful to clarify the potential health risk and AP exposure of the new harvesting
practice by the Indian farmers.
Other bad impacts of AP
According to (Nuvolone, Petri, & Voller, 2018), there are major bad effects of ozone
on human health. While talking about AP, the authors have suggested that ozone gas is a key
air pollutant in Delhi, India. Subsequently, the bad impact of ozone gas on human health is
considerable. From the human health perspective, the study has found that breathing ozone
triggers health problems like throat irritation, chest pain, coughing, breathing issues as well as
airway inflammation.
According to (Ewald, 2018), there is major health damage caused by sulphur dioxide
(SO2) emissions with coal-fired electricity generation in Delhi and other suburban. Thus, the
SO2 gas emission has serious implications for pollution licenses and thereby power plants in
the region. The study has mentioned that the smoke and harmful gases liberated from the
coal-fired power plants are the key sources of AP in India. Hence, renewable energy
resources should be used.
Continuous air quality monitoring
According to (Urbanemissions, 2019), the capital city of India has been found
seriously polluted from the AP perspective. The results are shown that when a continuous air
quality monitoring took place in Delhi, India, then it is found Delhi is the most polluted city
all across the country. Based on this research, it can be said that gases, smoke, and fossil fuel
emission need to be stopped for making the air fresh and less polluted. In addition to that,
forestation, and planting is also a good measure to reduce AP as plant gives oxygen and
consumes CO2 from the earth’s polluted environment (Plass , Schmidt, & Fleming, 2020).
Conclusion
In whole, the in-depth literature review has been conducted on the given topic in the
capital city of India, Delhi. The study and literature survey is suggesting that in 2020 also,
Delhi has been found the world’s utmost polluted capital. This study has found that in the
past few years, it has been found on the basis of air-quality data that India is a place having
21 of the globe’s 30 most polluted cities in the world. The literature survey is depicting that
Delhi's toxic air is majorly caused by industrial as well as vehicles’ emissions, smoke from
the burning of rubbish, dust from building sites, and most importantly crop residue in

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agricultural fields. As mentioned in the above literature, there are some key air pollutants
such as NO2, SO2, CO2, ozone, NO, NO2 and some other gases; must be reduced in the
earth’s atmosphere so that AP can be constrained to bearable limits for human and animal
health.

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References
BBC News. (2020). What is climate change? A really simple guide. Retrieved 2020, from
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-24021772
Cusworth, D., Mickley, L., & Sulprizio, M. (2018). Quantifying the influence of agricultural
fires in northwest India on urban AP in Delhi, India. Environmental Research Letters,
13(4), 044018.
Ewald, B. (2018). The value of health damage due to sulphur dioxide emissions from coal-
fired electricity generation in NSW and implications for pollution licences. Australian
and New Zealand journal of public health, 42(3), 227-229.
Flynn, M., Ford, J. D., Pearce, T., & Harper, S. L. (2018). Participatory scenario planning and
climate change impacts, adaptation and vulnerability research in the Arctic.
Environmental Science & Policy, 79(1), 45-53.
Foster, A., & Kumar, N. (2011). Health effects of air quality regulations in Delhi, India.
Atmospheric Environment, 45(9), 1675-1683.
Goel, D., & Gupta, S. (2015). The effect of metro expansions on AP in Delhi. Delhi: The
World Bank.
Guttikunda, S., & Goel, R. (2013). Health impacts of particulate pollution in a megacity—
Delhi, India. Environmental Development, 6, 8-20.
Inderwildi, O., & King, D. (2012). Energy, Transport, & the Environment. London: Springer.
Kuklinska, K., Wolska, L., & Namiesnik, J. (2015). ir quality policy in the US and the EU–a
review. Atmospheric Pollution Research, 6(1), 129-137.
Kumar, P., Khare, M., Harrison, R., Bloss, W., & Lewis, A. (2015). New directions: AP
challenges for developing megacities like Delhi. Atmospheric Environment, 122, 657-
661.
Maji, S., Ahmed, S., Siddiqui, W. A., & Ghosh, S. (2017). Short term effects of criteria air
pollutants on daily mortality in Delhi, India. Atmospheric environment, 150, 210-219.

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NASA. (2019). The Effects of Climate Change. Retrieved from Climate NASA:
https://climate.nasa.gov/effects/
Nuvolone, D., Petri, D., & Voller, F. (2018). The effects of ozone on human health.
Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 25(9), 8074-8088.
Plass , G., Schmidt, G., & Fleming, J. (2020). Carbon Dioxide and the Climate Change.
Retrieved from American Scientist: https://www.americanscientist.org/article/carbon-
dioxide-and-the-climate
Rizwan, S., Nongkynrih, B., & Gupta, S. (2013). AP in Delhi: its magnitude and effects on
health. Indian journal of community medicine, 38(1), 4.
Urbanemissions. (2019). Continous air quality monitoring in delhi. Retrieved September 19,
2019, from http://urbanemissions.info/wp-content/uploads/images/2019-09-Delhi-
AQ-Summary_1.jpg
Urry, J. (2015). Climate change and society. In Why the social sciences matter (pp. 45-59).
London: Palgrave Macmillan.