On Tuesday, as pollution levels in the national capital reached extremely severe levels, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor questioned, 'Is Delhi still fit to be India's national capital?' This post by the Thiruvananthapuram MP ignited a debate on social media. Many users suggested relocating the capital to cities like Chennai or Hyderabad, where the air is much cleaner.
It is not unprecedented for a country to relocate its capital. In 2022, Indonesia passed a law to shift its capital from Jakarta to Nusantara due to environmental and climate concerns. Indonesia is notorious for its poor air quality as well. The new capital city of Indonesia, located about 1000 km from Jakarta, is still under construction and is expected to be fully shifted from Jakarta by 2045.
The government of President Joko Widodo has estimated the cost of building the new capital at $35 billion, approximately 2.905 trillion Rupees. It is also expected that 1.9 million people will move from Jakarta to Nusantara by 2045.
Why is Indonesia shifting its capital from Jakarta?
Like Delhi, Jakarta suffers from worsening air quality year after year. Home to around 10 million people, the city's air quality remains in the 'very poor' category from May to August. During this period, Jakarta's hospitals become inundated with patients suffering from respiratory illnesses. In 2023 alone, each month saw over one lakh such cases. A report from the Jakarta Post linked the alarming pollution levels to incidents of stunted infants and infant mortality.
In fact, since May 2023, Jakarta has consistently been among the world's top 10 most polluted cities. The sight of the president coughing during public events for weeks also drew attention. A major reason behind the move to shift the capital to Nusantara is that Jakarta is sinking rapidly. The Indonesian city faces risks from rising sea levels due to climate change and the threat of land subsidence.
Experts warn that if sea levels continue to rise and the land keeps sinking at the current pace, a third of Jakarta could be submerged by 2050. Many commercial and residential areas in Northern Jakarta are already underwater.
What will Indonesia’s new capital look like?
Building a new capital from scratch is a daunting task, involving the construction of government and residential buildings. The Indonesian government initially decided to relocate over 1.5 million civil servants from Jakarta to Nusantara. According to Bambang Susantono, the head of the Nusantara National Capital Authority, 'To avoid facing a situation like Jakarta in the future, the new capital is being designed as a 'forest city' with 65% of its area covered in greenery, trees, and vegetation.'
Additionally, Nusantara will adopt 100% renewable energy. The government emphasizes that creating a fully green energy-based city will be more feasible. The entire construction is expected to be completed by 2045, in time for the country's centennial anniversary. However, the government faces harsh criticism from climate activists. They claim that making Nusantara the new capital will impact the ecology of Borneo island nearby, known for its beaches and rainforests, teeming with diverse wildlife. Experts also point out that rural residents around Jakarta, who lack resources to move to the new capital, will bear the brunt of this shift.
What did Shashi Tharoor say about pollution in Delhi?
On Tuesday, as the AQI in Delhi surpassed 490 points, Shashi Tharoor called Delhi the world's most polluted city in a scathing X post. 'The air pollution level is four times higher than usual. The air here is almost five times worse than that of Dhaka, the world's second most polluted city. It becomes unlivable from November to January. Pollution levels rise due to vehicle emissions and the burning of crop residues in neighboring states. Even during the rest of the year, it is not fit for habitation. Should it remain the nation's capital?' It's worth noting that Tharoor's post came just days before the winter session of Parliament convenes in Delhi.
