Mains Practice Questions

Introduction

Despite various policy initiatives, India continues to rank among the world's most polluted countries . The World Air Quality Report 2024 highlights that Delhi remains the most polluted national capital, while Byrnihat (Assam-Meghalaya border) is the world's most polluted city. While policies like the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) exist, inconsistent implementation and lack of coordination hinder effective pollution control.

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Key Implementation Gaps in Air Pollution Control:

• Weak Enforcement of Policies and Regulations: Despite frameworks like the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) and the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), their implementation is inconsistent across states and cities.
  • Some cities, including Delhi, have underutilized funds allocated under the NCAP.
• Inadequate Air Quality Monitoring: Out of 130 cities, 28 still do not have Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS).
• Ineffective Management of Crop Stubble Burning: Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh continue to witness large-scale stubble burning despite initiatives like bio-decomposers and financial incentives. 60% of Delhi’s winter air pollution is linked to this issue.
• Rapid Urbanization and Vehicular Growth: India's transport sector accounts for over 12% of CO₂ emissions, with an exponential rise in two-wheelers and budget cars, increasing traffic congestion and air pollution.
• Dependence on Fossil Fuels for Power Generation: Coal-fired power plants contribute over 50% of sulfur dioxide (SO₂) emissions, with inadequate adoption of clean energy alternatives.
• Unregulated Industrial and Construction Activities: Brick kilns, cement industries, and construction dust significantly increase suspended particulate matter (SPM), exacerbating air pollution in cities like Delhi, Ghaziabad, and Kanpur.
• Limited Public Awareness and Behavioral Change: Citizen participation in pollution control remains low due to a lack of awareness about the health risks associated with poor air quality.

To address these challenges, the following measures can be undertaken:

Measures to Improve Air Quality Management:

• Strengthening Policy Implementation and Accountability: Enhance state-level enforcement of NCAP and GRAP with real-time penalties for non-compliance.
  • Create regional pollution control task forces to address transboundary pollution issues.
• Expanding Air Quality Monitoring Infrastructure: Increase the number of CAAQMS stations in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities.
  • Use AI-based satellite monitoring to track pollution hotspots in real-time.
• Airshed Development for Regional Pollution Control: Implement airshed management to coordinate pollution control across multiple states sharing the same air basin.
  • Develop joint action plans between neighboring states, similar to the California Air Resources Board (CARB) model.
• Sustainable Solutions for Stubble Burning: Provide direct incentives to farmers for adopting bio-decomposers and crop residue management techniques.
  • Promote compressed biogas (CBG) plants to convert agricultural waste into biofuel.
• Transition to Clean Energy and Green Mobility: Accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) with subsidies and robust charging infrastructure.
  • Impose higher taxes on older, polluting vehicles and promote public transport expansion.
  • Ensure rapid decommissioning of outdated coal-fired plants and promote solar and wind energy adoption.
• Urban Planning and Industrial Regulation: Introduce green urban spaces and vertical gardens in high-pollution zones.
  • Mandate the use of anti-smog guns, dust suppressants, and advanced air filters at construction sites.
• Public Awareness and Citizen Participation: Launch nationwide ‘Right to Clean Air’ campaigns similar to the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.
  • Introduce air pollution index-based taxation to encourage industries to adopt cleaner technologies.
  • Collab with online platforms such as YouTube to spread awareness.
    • For Example, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj has collaborated with TVF's Panchayat Webseries to spread awareness about transparency and accountability.

Conclusion

India’s air pollution crisis demands strict enforcement, technological solutions, and public participation. Coordinated efforts between governments and citizens are crucial for sustainable air quality management. Without urgent action, pollution will continue to harm health, economy, and environment.