Smog towers, cloud seeding not solution to India's air pollution problem: US scientist
India requires long-term effort, a senior US scientist has said and noted cost-intensive technologies such as smog towers and cloud seeding are not sustainable solutions to the pollution problem plaguing the country. In an interview with PTI, Richard Peltier, a member of the World Health Organization's (WHO) Global Air Pollution and Health Technical Advisory Group, said there is a good understanding that air pollution is «really quite bad» across India but precision is lacking due to the limited distribution of air pollution monitors.
When asked how much time is needed to control air pollution in cities such as Delhi, he cited the example of the US.
The US implemented the Clean Air Act in the 1960s, Peltier said and added only recently has the country developed air quality that is generally considered good.
«So, it took 50 or 60 years to get here. This is not an instantaneous problem. This is not something that's going to be resolved with the stroke of a single pen or a law. This takes time… It is more of a marathon than a sprint,» he said.
Asked about the role of smog towers in resolving the issue, Peltier — also an executive editor of the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology — said these giant air purifiers work on a small scale but are impractical for entire cities due to cost and maintenance challenges.
«Do they remove air pollution from the air? Yes, they do. Do they remove an adequate amount of air pollution from the air? Absolutely not. It is like trying to dry up a big mighty river
