The Hindu : New Delhi News : Polluted air might be bad news for C’wealth athletes

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Feb 09, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

New Delhi

New Delhi

Polluted air might be bad news for C’wealth athletes

Staff Reporter

Athletes take in 10-20 times more air and thus more pollutants

CSE’s assessment finds air in ITO, close to
the Games hub, highly polluted
Report says enforcement of pollution
control norms has been weak in Delhi

NEW DELHI: Compared with Beijing, which will host the 2008 Olympics, Delhi has done very little to clear its air before it showcases the Commonwealth Games in 2010, according to a latest assessment by the Centre for Science and Environment of air pollution control measures undertaken in the two cities as they prepare to host the high-profile sporting events.

The CSE assessment of Delhi’s air quality has found that in ITO, which is close to the Commonwealth Games hub, levels of particulate matter less than 2.5 micron size met the national benchmark on 111 of the 307 days monitored in 2007. Levels of nitrogen dioxide fared worse — meeting the national benchmark on just 95 of the total 330 days monitored the same year.

This is not good news for athletes who will typically take in 10-20 times more air and thus more pollutants when compared with sedentary people, states the report.

“Previously a report of the Commonwealth Games Evaluation Commission had noted that mobility within Delhi is difficult and congested and therefore a risk area. It had further mentioned that venues and the Games Village will include environmental considerations related to micro-environment and other such parameters including air water and noise pollution,” said Anumita Roychowdhury of CSE.

She noted that Delhi lacked Beijing’s scale, stringency and frenetic pace of action. “If environment sustainability is integrated in the Games-related planning and infrastructure investments, Delhi’s environment and public health can also benefit in the longer term,” she added.

The CSE report notes that while Delhi has taken action in nearly all sectors to control air pollution over the past decade, stringency, scale and enforcement remain weak.

“The city till date has only stabilised pollution levels; meeting clean air standards presents a very difficult challenge as Beijing’s experience show.The rapidly rising number of personal vehicles not meeting the emissions standards is one of the key hindrances for clean air action in the city,” says Ms. Roychowdhury.

“Restricting car usage, upgrading public transport and leapfrogging vehicle emission standards are now the only options left for us,” states the CSE release.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

New Delhi