We have a massive air pollution problem in India, and it's creating a health hazard similar to forcing non-smokers to smoke simply from breathing the air in our cities and towns.
1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_brown_cloud, effects: worse health, changed monsoon rain, more warming, worse harvests, more intense cyclones
2) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_pollution_in_India
3) http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/31/opinion/sunday/holding-your-breath-in-india.html, http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/14/opinion/indias-air-pollution-emergency.html
4) http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/landmark-study-lies-buried-how-delhis-poisonous-air-is-damaging-its-children-for-life/, http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/air-quality-levels-bengaluru-fares-worse-than-delhi/article7074817.ece
First, we must get the data and monitor the effects
1) Set up air data monitors
2) Analyze the data to understand causes of pollution
3) Develop solutions, prioritize and act to solve for this
The root causes are deeply embedded and widespread. This is a starter list for a data-driven discussion:
1) Industrial pollution, e.g., from smoke-stacks, a large amount is from state-owned power plants
a) Stop companies spewing polluting smoke, ref http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/indias-thermal-power-plants-lag-on-emissions-and-efficiency-says-study-741376. Likely force shut-down leading to distress sale, as State owners lack the capability to clean up their act. Phased transfer to private hands will enable pollution control norms to be applied.
b) Increase use of zero-emission power generation technologies, ref http://www.withouthotair.com
1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_brown_cloud, effects: worse health, changed monsoon rain, more warming, worse harvests, more intense cyclones
2) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_pollution_in_India
3) http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/31/opinion/sunday/holding-your-breath-in-india.html, http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/14/opinion/indias-air-pollution-emergency.html
4) http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/landmark-study-lies-buried-how-delhis-poisonous-air-is-damaging-its-children-for-life/, http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/air-quality-levels-bengaluru-fares-worse-than-delhi/article7074817.ece
First, we must get the data and monitor the effects
1) Set up air data monitors
2) Analyze the data to understand causes of pollution
3) Develop solutions, prioritize and act to solve for this
The root causes are deeply embedded and widespread. This is a starter list for a data-driven discussion:
1) Industrial pollution, e.g., from smoke-stacks, a large amount is from state-owned power plants
a) Stop companies spewing polluting smoke, ref http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/indias-thermal-power-plants-lag-on-emissions-and-efficiency-says-study-741376. Likely force shut-down leading to distress sale, as State owners lack the capability to clean up their act. Phased transfer to private hands will enable pollution control norms to be applied.
b) Increase use of zero-emission power generation technologies, ref http://www.withouthotair.com
2) Vehicle/transport emissions
a) Stop subsidizing kerosene. Most of it is used to adulterate diesel. Using adulterated diesel increases engine emissions.
b) Low average speeds cause higher pollution per trip (pollution per km moved), so improve the roads and apply town-planning. Increasing average speeds includes measures to reduce distance-traveled and time spent, so it includes mass-transit public transport, elevated roads, more parking spaces where needed, park-and-ride, etc.
c) Better maintenance of engines to avoid belching black smoke, apply emission-control rules to prevent such vehicles from running.
3) Diesel generator backup (telecom towers, offices, shops, homes, etc.)
a) Eliminate grid-power outages
b) Reduce grid-power outages to make battery back-up viable
c) See Industrial pollution (above) ... stopping subsidized electricity, that causes loss-making power businesses and thus erratic power supply, will solve for a key "good" (energy supply) and also reduce the pollution issue.
4) Brick kiln emissions, ref http://urbanemissions.info/model-tools/sim-air/dhaka-bangladesh.html
a) promote alternatives to bricks for construction
b) stop kilns with unclean smokestack emissions
5) Cooking fires with biomass (sticks, cow-dung patties, etc.) and warming fires (to keep people warm in cold weather) ref http://www-ramanathan.ucsd.edu/files/pr178.pdf
a) Provide LPG and piped-gas connections as utility
b) Better cooking-stove and heater technology
6) Farmers burn crop residue on fields, people burn garbage everywhere
Ref http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-newdelhi/ngt-for-measures-to-snuff-out-crop-residue-burning/article6588808.ece and http://bangalore.citizenmatters.in/articles/garbage-burning-bangalore-health-effects — stop this by applying existing laws and promoting less-polluting alternatives.
I'm sure there are more sources, this is just a starter list ...
