Four hours ago, New Delhi experienced a hazardous Air Quality Index (501 gram per kW) with ozone level reaching 19, and nitrogen oxide 31. This is pollution at a level that kills. Interestingly, earlier this year, on June2,ajuniorofficialattheCentralPollutionControlBoard(CPCB)had written to a senior official in the MinistryofEnvironmentthattheNOxnormfordiesel-poweredlocomotivessuggestedbytheCPCBexpert committee be increased by 64% percent to accommodate the existing higher level of NOx, as if it was a minor variation. The letter added that NOx is not a critical parameter for the Indian ambient air quality index becauseonly29outof344citiesfailtomeetitsnormanyway.So, why even bother setting a higher norm?
In India, poor air quality kills more than two million people every year. The situation is so grave the Supreme Court said India’s pollution levels are akin to using explosives to kill everyone. Two major identifiable sources of pollution are transport vehicles and railway locomotives. Among them are 81 million diesel cars/trucks and 5,500 diesel locomotives. But it is not the diesel fuel that is the culprit. The United States runs over 90% of its locomotives on diesel, but it does not have poor air quality due to the ever-evolving,state-of-the-artpollutionstandardssetbyEPAandstrictenforcement.Since1999NOxhas beenreducedthroughaseriesofregulationsandnowis1.3gramsofNOxperbrakehorsepowerperhour. The Indian Railways is using 20+ years old technology.
In an unusual effort to achieve carbon-free emissions from its locomotives, Indian Railways has been planning to move to an all-electric locomotive fleet in the next three years. However, the electricity needed to run these locomotives will come from coal-fired plants which India has committed to sharply reduceundertheParisagreement.BurningcoaltoproduceelectricityfloodsIndia’sairwithfineparticles. These particles enter the lungs and are a leading cause of serious disease and death.
The theCPCBisapollutionstandard-setting body that is supposed to act independently of other government agencies. To encourage citizens to approach the judiciary on pollution matters, India has also set up the NationalGreenTribunal.In this case,petitionersapproachedtheGreenTribunaltomakethegovernment install state-of-the-art emissions control on its diesel locomotive fleet. Currently, there are none.
However,effortstogettheTribunalandCPCBtoactinthepublicinteresthavebeensuccessfulonlywhen the target of a complaint is a private party and not the government itself,suchastheMinistryofRailways ortheNationalThermalPowerCorporation,whichgeneratesmostofIndia’selectricityfromitscoal-fired power plants. In that situation, bureaucrats from the affected agencies are in the driver’s seat.
Fighting a government entity is always an uphill battle and requires enormous patience and financial resources. The Green Tribunal routinely refers any complaint it receives to the CPCB to determine the redress. CPCB, in turn, usually invites a group of experts from industry, user groups, and government entities to make recommendations.
