Air Pollution Effects & Management In India

Air pollution is a silent killer, and the rising levels of air pollution in India have made the country one of the most polluted countries in the world. The levels of air pollution in India have been soaring high ever since the turn of this century. The air pollution effects have started to pose a threat to India’s health as well as its economy. With fast development, outdoor air pollution has emerged to be a major threat to the health of billions of Indians. The major causes include biomass burning, traffic congestion, automobile exhaust, etc. India needs to adopt methods for air pollution control before it gets too late.

Air Pollution Effects in India

The majority of the Indian pollution is exposed to unhealthy levels of the most harmful pollutant, which we refer to as the Ambient fine particulate matter (PM 2.5). This pollutant is known to originate from different sources.

Even though these particles are smaller than 2.5 microns, i.e. around 1/30th of the human hair’s width, they can cause serious illnesses like heart illnesses, lung cancer, stroke, respiratory diseases, etc. PM 2.5 originates from different sources such as burning fossil fuels, windblown dust from roads, construction sites, and more.

One of the deadliest air pollution effects is premature deaths in the country. Along with that, millions of children are also born with different types of abnormalities.  In addition to the consequences on the health of people, air pollution also impacts the economy of the country. Fatal illnesses and deaths result in lost labour income that directly affects the GDP of the country.

India’s Steps Towards Air Pollution Control

India is taking concrete steps to reduce air pollution and its effects. The government has decided to revise its ambient air quality standards and strengthen standards for vehicular and industrial emissions.

It is also working to expand renewable energy, promote electric vehicles and provide LPG cooking fuel to millions of households in the country to control the air pollution effects.

The National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) by the Government of India is a great step taken to acknowledge and resolve the issue of the country’s deteriorating air quality. A time-bound goal has been set by the NCAP to enhance the air quality and reduce air pollution in the country.

The goal focuses on the 132 cities where air pollution standards are not up to the mark. This programme has a strong framework to develop air quality management ideas. These 132 cities are referred to as ‘Non-attainment Cities’.

This initiative aims to help the central government collaborate with their counterparts in various states. The timelines are already set, and the cities include Lucknow, Kolkata, Mumbai, Delhi, Kanpur, Chandigarh, Agra, Nagpur, Varanasi, and many others. Each city has a specific action plan that works best for that specific region.

Another target of the central government is to reduce air pollution by 35% within the next three years. Consequently, it aims to reduce it by 50% over the next 5 years. There are also plans to set up more monitoring stations and data collection centres.

Similarly, it aims to amplify the participation of the public during this process. All the data collected through these means will be submitted to an Air Information Centre that will be able to analyse it further. The plan for the capital of the country, New Delhi, has been formed.

Moreover, in 2020, the Indian Government set aside $1.7 billion for air pollution control for the next 5 years. In 2021, the Parliament of India also approved a law for establishing the Commission of Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and neighbouring areas.

Conclusion

All in all, the challenge of air pollution in India is not easy. While the initiative of NCAP is a great one, it requires a lot of clarity and correct implementation to achieve the goals to reduce pollution by 35% and then 50%. The industrial sector will pose a great challenge in accomplishing this goal. In addition to that, there are drawbacks to the programme itself. But, with everyone’s cooperation and strict implementation, air pollution control can be achieved so that every citizen gets to live in a healthy environment. The time is ticking for India as the air pollution is just getting worse, not better.