By : S Gopalakrishnan

Abstract

The results of the Delhi elections has given a new opportunity for the Centre and State to work together. This article delves into the pollution and healthcare crisis to explain the ways that opportunity can be utilised to revitalise the national capital. 

Introduction

The administration of Delhi has long been a contentious issue for India. A major part of that issue revolves around the distribution of power between the central government represented by the Lieutenant Governor and the elected local government. It appears that unless both governments are from the same party, or the local government is an ally of the party, there are roadblocks and, in some cases, an impasse in the communication between the two governments on issues of development of the state. Delhi has been the centre of such a power struggle for the past ten years, and irrespective of who is at fault, this deadlock has adversely impacted the state’s governance. The result of the 2025 Delhi Election has given the central government, a twenty-seven-year-old opportunity to ensure that Delhi develops, by having the local government from the same party, hopefully eliminating the communication and implementation hurdles. How should they utilize this opportunity? This article explores two key problems: pollution and health for public policy. 

The Pollution Puzzle 

It is obvious that the most immediate concern is the environment. In the realm of policymaking on the conservation of environment, the government must prepare long-term and comprehensive strategies instead of quick fixes to ensure better results in the performance of the climate sector. Initiatives like Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) have helped ally the severity of the air pollution crisis but are far from solving it. For instance, the use of anti-smog guns has often obstructed traffic during peak hours, impacting transportation. Similarly, a ban on construction, while reducing the spread of dust, has impacted the livelihood of construction workers. Therefore, the pollution crisis in Delhi is a multifaceted phenomenon that is deeply rooted in its economy. Policies, for any sector, have to be green. 

The other challenge of managing the environment in Delhi is that apart from controlling the number of inter-connected sources of pollution, the degree to which these sources contribute to such pollution needs to be recognised. For example, the level at which the various sources such as vehicles, emission industry, biomass burning, and dust contribute to poor breathing air in Delhi depend upon the changing of seasons. Vehicular emission increases by 26-30% during winter and reduces by 15-17% in summer. Similarly, the contribution of dust to air pollution increases by 31-34% in summer and reduces to 6-15% in winters. This means that the strategy to combat air pollution in Delhi is the one which has a specific measure for each of the sources under one actionable initiative. Perhaps, ignoring the political connotations, the Chinese model is a case in point. According to the Clean Air Plan for Hong Kong 2035, released by the Environment Ministry of China in June 2021, actions to prevent pollution are specified through six areas: Green Transport, Liveable Environment, Comprehensive Emissions Reduction, Clean Energy, Scientific Management, and Regional Collaboration. These six areas are further sub-divided into specific initiatives, each with a deadline and the amount of money needed for investment. While it can be agreed that China is ahead of India in terms of economy, the approach can nevertheless be applicable. 

There is another example which illustrates not just the necessity of a comprehensive action plan but also an innovative nature to it. The government’s three year promise of cleaning the Yamuna River is quite ambitious, considering that it is an election promise. However, there is a catch; the plan is not comprehensive. The government intends to redirect the wastes to the sewage treatment plants (STPs). Yet, there were no concrete plans on improving the functioning of STPs because they are the main sources of pollution of the river. 19 out of 37 STPs are not in good shape. There is also no clear idea about the ways in which the plants plan to destroy the unrecyclable waste in a sustainable way. The pollution problem in Yamuna is linked to the problem of waste management in Delhi. The state does not engage in proper segregation of wastes. It generates 14,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste daily out of which 3,000 tonnes end up in landfills. The dependence on landfills and burning of mixed wastes (recyclable and non-recyclable) has worsened the environmental condition. Hence, the policy template for such a situation can be a mix of waste management techniques by European cities such as Zurich, and Vienna. The government can increase the rate of fines for improper dumping of waste. The additional revenue generated from these fines can be used to install incinerators in the STPs. The heat generated from burning non-recyclable wastes, through the waste-to-energy principle, can be used to improve the harsh winter conditions in Delhi. 

In conclusion, the need of the hour for environment policies is for these to be more comprehensive, long-term strategies. The innovative nature of such policies can be through indigenous research or templated from the innovations of other countries. 

The Healthcare Hazard

The new government requested for the Comptroller and Audit General Report (CAG) on the condition of Mohalla clinics and government hospitals in Delhi. Mohalla clinics were set up by the previous government in October 2015, with the objective of making healthcare services accessible to the local population. Since then, the numbers of such clinics rose to 533 in the city. The establishment of these clinics was hailed as a significant step towards better healthcare services in the state. However, the recent CAG report, which was tabled on February 28, 2025, revealed a contrasting picture to the success of these clinics. The data showed that 70% of the patients experienced consultations within less than a minute. Most of these clinics lacked basic medical facilities such as pulse oximeters, glucometers, x-ray viewers, thermometers, and blood pressure monitors. 74 out of the 533 clinics were not able to maintain a complete set of 165 necessary medicines as prescribed by the Essential Drug List (EDL), due to delay in delivering those medicines by the central procurement agency, with waiting times extending to six months. 18% of the clinics were found to be non-operational with the time period ranging from 15 days to two years, with shortage of doctors, and staff resignations cited as main reasons. 

This glaring reality of the performance of Mohalla clinics necessitates immediate systematic reforms from the new government. The newly appointed Health Minister promised a 100-day strategy as a prospective plan for a complete overhaul of the healthcare system. The new reforms include polyclinics, expanding medical manpower, and ensuring the availability of high-quality medicines. These are to be made possible through the inclusion of pharmacies under the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Delhi government and the Central government on the implementation of the national scheme, Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY). The first step before implementing these reforms is the shutting down of 250 Mohalla clinics. Will they work? While the motive behind shutting down poor performing Mohalla clinics is not clear, it need not be the first step. Delhi requires significant investment in improving the healthcare infrastructure. One of the ways it can do so is by transforming the city into a medical hub, similar to the medical hub policies in Telangana. Mohalla clinics are a part of this initiative. They remain an essential step in improving and distributing healthcare services in the state. The government needs to set up a mechanism for regular maintenance of these clinics, as well as government hospitals, and medical colleges. It remains to be seen whether other reforms as proposed by the Health Minister will bear fruit, but ideas are in the right direction. The only suggestion is to integrate them into a larger action plan. 

Conclusion

It is clear that the pollution crisis and healthcare problems in Delhi are the immediate challenges that needs to be addressed. The new government needs to optimise their communication to deliver a detailed research-oriented policy towards developing the state. It must not succumb to huge policy reversals of the previous government under political motivations because there are some good steps taken by the previous government that only needs to be built on by the current government. Also, while a major part of the announced reforms comes under election promises, proper planning for its implementation can aid in proper translation of ambition to reality. 

Author’s Bio: 

S Gopalakrishnan is a second-year student, pursuing B.A. (Hons.) Global Affairs at the Jindal School of International Affairs, O.P. Jindal University. His research interests lie in Foreign Policy and Strategy, public policies of different countries, and political philosophy.

Image Source : https://www.incredibleindia.gov.in/en/delhi/delhi/india-gate