Remaking Urban Environments: The Political Ecology of Air Pollution in Delhi

• Published in: Environment and planning. A Vol. 38; no. 11; pp. 2093 - 2109
• Main Author: Veron, R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01.11.2006; Pion; Pion Ltd, London
• Series: Environment and Planning A
• Subjects: Air pollution; Asia; Bgi / Prodig; Delhi; Environmental policy; Human geography; India; Indian subcontinent. Himalaya; Middle class; Non-governmental organizations; Political ecology; Quality of life; Urban renewal; Urban studies; Delhi; India; India, Delhi; Atmospheric pollution; Pollution; Urban planning; Non-governmental organization; Urbanization; Environment; Society-environment relationship; Environmental management
• ISSN: 0308-518X; 1472-3409
• DOI: 10.1068/a37449

In the growing field of urban political ecology, so far not much attention has been paid to air-quality and related policies. In this paper I examine the recent far-reaching air-pollution policies in India's capital, as well as the role of environmental nongovernmental organizations and judicial activism, in view of their implications for different groups of the urban population. I analyze these policies in the wider context of Delhi's ongoing strive for ‘city beautification’ and for changing (environmental) governmentalities, and reveal a marked middle-class bias in the environmental and judicial activisms practised, which also contributes to the refining of the boundary between public and private environments. Furthermore, it is argued that air quality with its complex sociospatial patterns plays a significant part in the coproduction of urban ‘socioenvironments' that needs to be addressed in political-ecological studies.