The urban facade

Approximately 45 per cent of total urban areas moved from one size class to another From class II cities to class I. In 1991, urban India constituted about 26 per cent of the population, but now nearly one-third of the population lives in urban areas.

Due to the skewed population growth figures for metros, the infrastructure has not been able to keep pace, leading to increasing pollution and health hazards.

Delhi had the dubious distinction of being the most polluted city in the country, but with the Supreme Court being in the driving seat, things have started looking up. Cities like Mumbai and Chennai are fast catching up. While air pollution may not be obvious to the eye, cities floundering under mounds of garbage and choked sewers are the first to attract attention.

The municipal solid waste generated in 23 megacities is 30,058 tonnes per day. Mumbai, which is the most populated, generates the maximum quantity of solid waste with 5,355 tonnes/day. While a city like Vishakhapatnam generated the least amount with 300 tonnes per day. Delhi generates 4,000 tonnes per day while Calcutta generates 3,692 tonnes per day.

In India, compostible matter is a major component of municipal solid waste. The percentage ranges from 0.4 per cent in Delhi to 58 per cent in Kochi.However, the treatment facility before disposal is still lacking in most cities. Out of the 30,058 tonnes per day of solid waste only 2,009 tonnes per day receives treatment before disposal. Sorting of hazardous waste is an alien concept for most. Most cities dump their waste illegally since the municipality has not even bought landfill sites. It is only now that some part of garbage disposal is being privatised. The cooperation of NGOs and resident welfare association is also being sought to deal with garbage.

With uncontrolled growth according to unofficial estimates, there are 10,000 new migrants added to Delhi8217;s population alone, lack of public transport facilities, there has been a spurt of vehicles on the roads. With the Supreme Court now enforcing pollution norms, Delhi is forced to adopt cleaner fuel and low emmission vehicles. But the other cities still get a raw deal.

Calcutta and Chennai have been rated 6th and the 13th among the 41 most polluted megacities in the world. According to a study by Centre for Science and Environment, in Mumbai, 52 per cent of the total pollution load is contributed by vehicles, 48 per cent of sulphur dioxide emissions from industries and 33 per cent from power plants. In Delhi, 70 per cent of the major pollution load is from vehicles.

Localised pollution in industrial estates in Mumbai is severe. About 2,000 tonnes of pollutants are added to the atmosphere from the Trans Thane Creek industrial area, which has the highest concentration of chemical industrial units.

Studies done in Hyderabad show that between 1993 and 1996, the pollution levels has gone up by 170 tonnes because of growth in the number of vehicles. Bhopal and Indore are also victims of vehicular population growth.

Acording to J.N. Dave, dean of the Scool of Environmnetal Sciences at JNU, automobile associations in Bomabay and Delhi account for 70 per cent of the carbon monoxide, 50 per cent of hydrocarbons and 30 to 40 per cent of particulates in the atmosphere.

The bad news is that it is not just the metros, but even the small towns are turning toxic. While the Central Pollution Control Board does not have the infrastructure to monitor pollution in these small towns, places like Parwanoo in Himacchal Pradesh, Gajraula in Uttar Pradesh and Alwar in Rajasthan can easily compete with big cities in terms of air pollution.