Can Decentralised Governance Free Delhi From Its Air Crisis? Debate Rages On

Moving power to other parts of India would encourage balanced regional growth and reduce the concentration of resources in the national capital

Delhi's pollution crisis demands urgent environmental reforms and innovative gov-ernance strategies. A phased approach combining immediate pollution control with decentralization could secure its future and set an example for sustainable urban development across India.

For years, the national capital has been grappling with a relentless crisis that seems to worsen by the day: its air quality is among the worst in the world. Toxic smog blankets the city, turning everyday activities like stepping outside into a health hazard. The capital's air quality index (AQI) frequently soars into the 'hazardous' cate-gory, with readings exceeding 400-500 and even hitting the maximum measurable limit of 999 during peak winter episodes—far beyond the WHO's safe limit of 50, putting millions of lives at risk.

Delhi's air pollution has become a full-blown public health emergency. Annually, more than 1.6 million lives are unfortunately claimed by air pollution in India. The economic impact is equally staggering, with estimated annual losses of Rs. 2.71 lakh crore due to air pollution-related health issues and lost productivity.

The city’s toxic air is so bad that each year, millions of workers have to stay home for days together, resulting in a loss of 37 million working days. The pollution be-comes especially dangerous in winter, forcing schools to close for about three weeks.

During winter, Delhi's PM2.5 levels average between 200-300 µg/m³—astonishingly 40 to 60 times higher than the WHO's safe limit of 5 µg/m³. These levels make its air quality crisis one of the most severe in the world.

The contributing factors are many like traffic emissions, construction dust, industrial pollutants, and stubble burning by neighbouring states.

In winter, meteorological conditions such as low temperatures and stagnant air exacerbate pollution levels, creating a 'perfect storm' of toxic smog.

Its pollution crisis has reached a tipping point, where conventional solutions seem inadequate. With air quality descending into catastrophic levels, a pressing question arises: should India rethink the concept of a single capital? Could decentralizing political, judicial, and administrative functions across multiple cities ease the strain on Delhi and improve its air quality? Advocates for decentralization argue that shifting some of Delhi's political responsibilities could alleviate its suffocating pollution and promote balanced regional growth. However, would dividing the capital's functions truly address the crisis, or should the focus remain on transforming Delhi into a sustainable city capable of managing both its political and environmental challenges?

The idea of a divided capital has been put forward by several legal experts and politicians.

This involves distributing executive, legislative, and judicial functions across different strategic locations in India. It is a further research question to find such location. Such decentralization could offer several advantages. By dispersing political functions, Delhi's population could be spread more evenly, reducing congestion and lowering pollution levels.

Moving power to other parts of India would encourage balanced regional growth and reduce the concentration of resources in the national capital.

Improved access to justice:

Regional Supreme Court benches could better serve citizens in farflung areas, especially in the southern and north-eastern states.

While being ambitious, this vision requires significant investment and meticulous planning. The symbolic and historical status of Delhi as the capital also poses cultural and political challenges. However, history offers examples of such transformative changes.

In 1911, British India relocated its capital from Calcutta (now Kolkata) to Delhi at a cost of approximately Rs. 13.7 million (equivalent to several billion rupees today). The move was completed in 1931 with the inauguration of New Delhi, involving massive construction projects and infrastructure development that transformed the region. Globally, several nations have successfully implemented capital relocations, including Brazil, Myanmar and Kazakhstan. Some countries have opted for partial administrative decentralization, like South Africa with its three capitals (administrative, legislative, and judicial) and The Netherlands, where Amsterdam serves as the constitutional capital while The Hague hosts the government.

While immediate pollution control measures are crucial, addressing the root causes of Delhi's environmental strain may require a rethink of its role as a centralized hub for governance. The central government must prioritize aggressive action on several fronts. It must incentivize farmers to adopt alternatives such as biofuel production or provide subsidies for crop waste management machinery.

Transition to green energy:

Reducing vehicular emissions can be achieved through electric vehicle adoption, expanded public transportation, and promotion of cycling and walking.

Increasing Delhi's green cover through urban forests, tree planting, and having more parks can help absorb pollutants.

The need of the hour is in stricter enforcement of environmental laws. This calls for a more aggressive regulatory enforcement with meaningful penalties for pollution violations.

A hybrid strategy may be the most practical solution—immediate pollution control measures paired with gradual decentralization. This could begin with setting up re-gional Supreme Court benches to enhance justice access and alleviate the city's ad-ministrative load.

The immediate priority is to tackle the pollution challenge through targeted actions, including stricter enforcement of environmental regulations, green infrastructure development and sustainable energy transitions. At the same time, exploring administrative decentralization offers a long-term strategy to ease the city's burden. Transforming Delhi into a sustainable megacity could set a precedent for urban resilience in the face of climate change and rapid urbanization.

Balancing shortterm pollution control with a visionary governance framework could secure not only Delhi's future but also act as a blueprint for equitable and sustainable urban growth across India. The path forward demands urgency, commitment, and a holistic approach, ensuring a healthier and more livable environment for all.

The choices we make for Delhi today will shape the future of urban living in India.

Let this be the moment we prioritize sustainability, equity, and health, creating a legacy of resilience for generations to come.

(Dr. Siddharth Gavhale is an As-sistant Professor at DY Patil International University, Akurdi, Pune and Sushmita Kumari is a Doctoral Scholar at Vinoba Bhave University, Jharkhand)