Abstract:
Rapid development in motor vehicle activity in India and other quickly industrialising low-income nations leads to high levels of urban air pollution and other negative socioeconomic, environmental, health, and welfare consequences. This study initially analyses the local, regional, and worldwide implications of air pollutant emissions caused by motor vehicle activity in India, as well as the technological, behavioural, and institutional reasons that have led to these emissions.
The study then analyses certain implementation concerns relating to various policy initiatives that have been implemented and the policy context’s challenges. Finally, based on the recent Indian experience, the study gives insights and lessons for better understanding and more effectively tackling the transport air pollution problem in India and similar countries that are responsive to local requirements, capabilities, and restrictions.
Aim:
At least 30.7% of deaths in India can be attributed to air pollution from fossil fuels–that means about 2.5 million people die every year after breathing toxic air, and there is still a lack of a strong solution that can be seen. Therefore, we aim to pitch a visionary solution for a permanent reduction in air pollution, i.e. Green zone and a low emission zone for every major state, pointing out the problems and their solution.
Objective:
• To find an effective way to reduce pollution and traffic in India.
- To figure out the problems and solutions for green zone vision.
Methodology:
- Review 2 article based on the increasing air pollution and traffic problems in India.
- Counter the problem and suggest a solution by Case Study.
- Survey analysis of Public opinion.
Review of Literature (ROL)
Air pollution in India has caused losses of up to Rs 7 lakh crore annually – (Down to Earth), Authored by Swagata Dey
According to a new analysis produced jointly by the UK-based non-profit Clean Air Fund, management consultancy Dalberg Advisors, and the Confederation of Indian Industry, air pollution in India has resulted in yearly losses of up to Rs 7 lakh crore ($95 billion) (CII).
This represents 40% of the cost of combating the novel coronavirus illness (COVID-19) pandemic and almost 3% of India’s GDP (GDP).
This is the first comprehensive study that goes beyond the health effects of air pollution and measures the financial losses suffered by Indian businesses as a result of the country’s persistent lack of clean air.
Losses from air pollution present themselves in six distinct ways. These include decreased labour productivity (including absenteeism and presenteeism), decreased consumer footfall, earlier mortality, reduced asset productivity, and increased healthcare costs. Thus, air pollution has three direct impact pathways on business: premature death, loss of productivity, and loss of consumer footfall.
Let us first consider the cost of lost production as a result of worker absence. According to the paper, a study conducted in Spain found that every 10 micrograms per cubic meter increase in PM10 levels was associated with a 2% increase in absenteeism owing to sick leaves.
Productivity costs extend beyond absenteeism. Even in white-collar positions, employees tend to feel ill on days with greater levels of air pollution, with minor pain while breathing.
Historically, Indian labour would never take time off for minor discomfort, let alone because of air pollution. As a result, these presenteeism practices have an increasing impact on physical and cognitive performance at work.
In a specific case study at Bengaluru’s Whitefield corporate zone, attendance dropped by over 12% between November and January, when pollution levels were substantially higher than from June to August.
A 10-unit rise in PM 2.5 levels was shown to correspond to a 3.9% decline in worker transportation in the area in 2019. This demonstrates two crucial points: First, air pollution is now a pan-India problem, not only a problem in the Indo-Gangetic Plain. Second, air pollution affects ordinary office workers of all ages, as evidenced by the young IT workforce.
Let’s take a look at customer traffic. Air pollution has a direct impact on revenue since it reduces consumer footfall. Poor air quality prevents buyers from leaving their houses, and this shows up in the account books, particularly for enterprises with direct consumer interaction.
At the moment, greater levels of air pollution result in a 1.3% decline in consumer expenditure. The results are especially negative for the tourism industry, with an impact of up to 7.4 percent and losses of up to $1.7 billion each year. While repeating high pollution occurrences result in short-term income losses, there is also the potential of long-term reputational damage. The most common issue among overseas tourists is air pollution, which has caused many to reconsider their intentions to visit India.
This has resulted in the loss of about 820,000 employment in tourism and related industries. According to a survey of 39 major tourist and hospitality businesses, 64% saw air pollution as a contributing cause to falling tourism activities. Furthermore, operational costs had risen, particularly in the case of business travel, as some firms had chosen to empanel hotels with air purifiers in each room.
Finally, there is a tremendous potential cost associated with premature mortality as a result of air pollution, and this is the issue that most affects India. According to one study included in the article, nearly $225 million in worldwide income is lost each year as a result of premature deaths caused by air pollution.
These losses were, predictably, the greatest in South Asia, equal to over 1% of the region’s GDP. While these results are depressing, it is important noting that air pollution impacts the efficiency of non-human assets.
There is now convincing evidence that air pollution lowers the efficiency and longevity of solar panels. Solar rooftop companies observed a drop in solar panel productivity on days with worse air quality.
This would have a considerable impact on the future commercial viability of solar panels in India, particularly in the residential sector. It was shown that for every 100-unit rise in PM2.5 levels, solar panel production decreased by 13%.
At the industrial level, the loss of productivity resulted in an increase in energy production costs from Rs 2.61 per kWh to Rs 2.91 per kWh. This rise is astonishing, as it cancels out 67% of the cost advantage of solar panels over coal.
Overall, the costs of air pollution in India are $95 billion. To put this figure in context, it represents around 3% of India’s 2019 GDP and twice the amount of India’s yearly public health expenditure. Moreover, these are only the immediate consequences.
Increased healthcare expenditure and non-market welfare loss are two indirect paths of impact. Poor air quality is well documented to increase the number of hospitalisations, especially during severe pollution seasons.
These costs are difficult to measure because employee healthcare insurance coverage varies greatly among businesses. However, it is undeniable that increased pollution increases individual healthcare costs and welfare spending.
Furthermore, non-market welfare costs mostly cover workers’ inability to participate in activities outside of their jobs. Higher pollutant concentrations, for example, may hinder volunteers and caregivers from travelling to engage with beneficiaries.
One could argue that all of these figures are exaggerated because of the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak. Another argument could be that, at the moment, all businesses are suffering as a result of the pandemic, and the effects of air pollution are insignificant.
The authors do note that the cost of increased air pollution to businesses is only around 43% of the total cost of the pandemic. However, this is and will be a yearly cost until actual mitigating measures are implemented.
So, while vaccines may be able to halt the epidemic in a few years, air pollution will continue to wreak havoc on health and business in India unless it is addressed.
Review of Literature (ROL)
Traffic problems in India
(Group Discussion Ideas) by Authored Niharika Atluri
Theme
According to a 2018 Boston Consulting Group research, traffic congestion costs India 1.47 lakh crore per year (BCG).
Traffic congestion causes so much inconvenience and frustration that it must be solved.
Causes: –
India has one of the world’s fastest-expanding economies. As a result, the average income of Indians is rising, as is the number of privately owned vehicles. Even though public transportation is extensively available in India, it is insufficient for the country’s population. Especially in metropolitan areas, public transportation is frequently overcrowded. As a result, in order to travel peacefully, many are electing to commute in their own vehicles. As a result, there are more vehicles on the road.
One of the major causes of traffic congestion in India is a lack of parking spots. People are obliged to park their automobiles in front of buildings, often encroaching on roads, due to a scarcity of parking spots. As a result, the road becomes less usable.
One of the causes is also poor road quality. This frequently leads to repairs and, as a result, a reduction in usable space.
Inadequate enforcement of traffic laws.
Due to a shortage of walkways in many areas, people are compelled to stroll on the edge of roads, exacerbating traffic congestion.
Regional disparities in economic development and employment creation are focused only in a few places. As a result, population density in major cities is increasing.
Solutions include:
- Distributing and diverting traffic by innovative ways such as the construction of flyovers in congested locations, etc.
- Developing a better public transportation system.
- Making the development of parking lots and pedestrian walkways mandatory.
- Traffic rules must be implemented correctly.
- Increasing taxes on privately owned vehicles is also beneficial, but it is heavily criticised.
- Creating small communities in order to avoid the push factor of migration to cities.
Conclusion,
Traffic problems are not only inconvenient, but they also have a financial impact. A multi-pronged approach can be used to address traffic congestion. First, the government should encourage people to use public transportation by enhancing them while also building roadways to meet the increased demand for transportation. Most essential, the government must ensure regional growth in order to minimise the concentration of economic activities in a few places.
Analysis and Inspiration:
According to the above literature review, we found out some major stable problems cause by air pollution and traffic congestion ever since in India and No proven solution for this major issue.
Road transport accounts for a significant portion of air pollution in cities and towns, causing serious pollution problems like carbon monoxide and smog. Due to the increase in the use of private cars, road traffic pollution is considered a major threat to clean air in India and other industrialised countries. Traffic fumes contain harmful chemicals that pollute the atmosphere. In addition, road traffic emissions produce greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming.
At least 30.7% of deaths in India can be attributed to air pollution from fossil fuels–that means about 2.5 million people die every year after breathing toxic air, and there is still a lack of strong solution can be seen.
Although In India, Government and different organisations have taken numbers of initiatives to reduce this problem, the solution can hardly be seen.
So the motive of our research is to peach Ideas of the green zone and low emission zone to Government bodies and other organisations, by showing a practical case study of a successful initiative of London Low emission zone.
Case Study:
The London Low Emission Zone (LEZ) is a traffic pollution levy plan designed to reduce diesel-powered vehicle exhaust gas emissions in London. The policy applies to commercial vehicles across London and should not be confused with the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), which went into effect in April 2019 and applies to all cars in Central London. Vehicles that do not meet certain emission criteria are charged; the rest of the vehicles are free to enter the regulated zone. The low-emission zone went into effect on February 4, 2008, with a phased implementation of a tougher regulation until January 3, 2012. The scheme is managed by the Greater London Authority’s executive agency, Transport for London.
The current standard for heavy commercial vehicles (those weighing more than 3.5 tonnes) is Euro VI, which will be upgraded from Euro IV on March 1, 2021. Vehicles must fulfil these requirements or face a £100 fine every day. The new laws were supposed to go into effect in October 2020, however, they were delayed due to the 2020 coronavirus pandemic.
History
Since 1993, King’s College London’s London Air Quality Network has coordinated air pollution monitoring across 30 London boroughs and Heathrow, and in 2005–2006, almost all road and curbside monitoring locations in greater London surpassed the annual average nitrogen dioxide limit of 40 mg.
One measuring station surpassed EU guidelines for air pollution in 2000, and pollution increased for two years prior to 2007. According to the Green Party, nine London sites breached EU air pollution regulations in 2007. For more than two-fifths of the period, the A23 at Brixton experienced the most persistently high levels. Carbon monoxide levels fell substantially in the late 1990s and have remained generally constant since 2002.
In 2007, Transport for London (TfL) projected that poor air quality caused 1,000 premature deaths and another 1,000 hospital admissions every year.
Planning
The Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, proposed shifting the congestion charge levy from a flat rate for all qualifying vehicles to being based on Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) bands near the end of 2006.
VED bands for new vehicles are based on the results of a laboratory test aimed to quantify the vehicle’s theoretical potential emissions in grammes of CO2 per kilometre travelled under ideal conditions. The lowest band, Band A, applies to cars with an estimated CO2 value of up to 100 g/km, while the highest band, Band G, applies to vehicles with a CO2 value larger than 225 g/km. These findings were supposed to be used to establish which band each car belongs to. The resulting data were criticised as “seriously faulty” by the editor-in-chief of What Car? magazine.
Under the proposed changes to the plan, vehicles in Band A would be paid at a reduced, or possibly free, rate, but those in Band G would be charged at £25 per day. Certain vehicle types, such as electric vehicles, are already free from the fee. In August 2007, these plans were made available for public comment.
Consultations on a new pricing regime for motor vehicles entering London began in early 2006. A daily charge would be imposed under this proposed scheme on the vehicles responsible for the majority of London’s road traffic emissions, commercial vehicles with diesel engines such as lorries, buses, and coaches. Cars were expressly prohibited. The new scheme’s goal is to assist London in meeting its European Union (EU) air pollution responsibilities, notably the EU Air Quality Framework Directive, as part of the Mayor’s plan to make London the greenest city on the planet. Despite some criticism, the Mayor declared on May 9, 2007, that he would proceed with a London Low Emission Zone, which would be completely focused on automobile emissions and aimed at reducing emissions by 16 percent by 2012.
Operation
The LEZ went into effect on February 4, 2008, with further measures being brought in as pollution limits become increasingly stringent. Vehicles registered after October 2001 are generally compliant with the zone’s first stages when Euro 3 engine compliance was necessary.
In July 2008, the requirements were tightened and more vehicle types were included.
Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, declared on February 2, 2009, his intention to cancel the third phase of the LEZ covering vans beginning in 2010, subject to the conclusion of a public consultation later that year. The Freight Transport Association applauded the move in a news release issued on February 3rd. On January 3, 2012, the plan was fully implemented.
Since January 2012, a new Low Emission Zone (LEZ) has been implemented for London buses, with older vehicles selectively phased out (those without electronic destination displays and older than 12 years old), and the remaining buses modified to Euro 3 or 4 standards. The new Low Emission Zone (LEZ) laws will go into effect in 2015, allowing all Euro II and Euro III vehicles lacking catalytic standards to be phased out. The last bus that did not satisfy the standards was pulled in July 2016.
Higher criteria will be implemented beginning in 2021.
All large commercial vehicles in London must achieve Euro VI criteria by 1 March 2021 or face a £100 per day fine. Commercial vehicles that do not fulfil the previous (Euro IV) criteria will be taxed £300 per day.
According to TfL data, the number of vehicles that met the rules increased to nearly 90% when the LEZ was introduced in March 2021, up from 70% in May 2019.
The current scheme
The zone encompasses the majority of Greater London (with minor deviations to allow diversionary routes and facilities to turn around without entering the zone and the M25 motorway). Signs mark the zone’s perimeter, which is operational 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The LEZ emission requirements are based on European emission regulations for particulate matter (PM), which is released by cars and has a negative impact on health. The following cars are exempt:
- Euro 6 emission-compliant lorries, buses, and coaches.
- Vans and minibuses weighing no more than 3.5 tonnes
- All automobiles and motorbikes
Non-GB registered cars that meet the requisite LEZ requirements will be required to register with TfL; most compatible GB registered vehicles will not be required to register. Vehicle owners who do not match the above requirements have a few options:
- Install a filter
- The vehicle should be replaced.
- Reorganise their fleet such that only compliant vehicles are used in London.
- Switch to natural gas.
- Pay the fee (which ranges from £100 to £200 per calendar day that the car is in the zone).
Automatic number plate reading cameras (ANPR) are used to record licence plates in the zone. Vehicles entering or exiting the zone are checked against the DVLA’s records, allowing TfL to prosecute owners of vehicles for which the levy has not been paid. An international debt recovery organisation collects unpaid levies and fines for automobiles registered outside of the United Kingdom. IBM is in charge of the plan on a daily basis.
Reaction
Several stakeholders objected to the scheme throughout the consultation period: The Freight Transport Association proposed an alternative approach based on a vehicle replacement cycle, with lorries older than 8 years being responsible, with greater years for other vehicles. They also argued that the criteria differed from the upcoming Euro 5 regulations, implying that the scheme achieved little to help cut CO2 emissions. The Road Haulage Association opposed the system, claiming that the costs to haulers and environmental benefits did not warrant its implementation. Schools and St. John Ambulance have expressed concern about the increased expenditures that the system will impose, particularly given their limited budgets. London First, a business organisation, criticised portions of the programme concerning car categorisation but endorsed the premise. The British Lung Foundation and the British Heart Foundation have both endorsed the project.
T-charge
After London experienced record air pollution levels in January 2017, and the city was placed on very high pollution alert for the first time ever, as cold and stationary weather failed to clear toxic pollutants emitted primarily by diesel vehicles, London Mayor Sadiq Khan introduced a new £10 toxicity charge, known as the T-charge, in October 2017. The T-charge was imposed on vehicles operating within Central London in addition to the £11.50 congestion fee. In April 2019, the T-charge was phased out and replaced with the ULEZ.
Zone of Extremely Low Emissions
The ULEZ, which took effect on April 8, 2019, covers the same region as the T-charge but is in effect 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with charges of £12.50 per day for cars, vans, and motorcycles and £100 per day for lorries, buses, and coaches. The ULEZ reduced emissions by 20% and reduced the number of the most polluting cars entering the zone each day from 35,578 to 26,195. From October 2021, the zone will be expanded to include the North and South Circulars.