Clean Air Policy In India And Challenges In Implementation

India’s Clean Air Strategy Needs Stronger Accountability

Source: Indian Express
GS III: Environmental Pollution and Degradation

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Why in the News?

An article in Indian Express highlights gaps in India’s clean-air strategy, stressing the need for measurable targets, timely implementation and clear accountability. Despite initiatives such as the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), air pollution remains a concern in many cities.

News in Brief

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• Lucknow topped the Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan rankings among million-plus cities, with annual average PM10 levels declining from 253 µg/m³ in 2017–18 to around 135 µg/m³.
• Delhi recorded no appreciable improvement in winter air quality over the four years examined by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), despite pollution-control measures.
• A UNEP and Climate and Clean Air Coalition assessment highlights the economic burden of air pollution in South Asia, estimated at 10% of regional GDP annually.
• The experts calls for outcome-based monitoring, interdepartmental coordination and clear accountability, as delayed implementation reduces the health and economic benefits of clean-air measures.

Administrative activity does not always mean cleaner air

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• The Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan assesses cities on their efforts to control air pollution.
• These include road sweeping, waste management, paving sidewalks and preparing action plans.
• However, administrative compliance does not necessarily translate into improved air quality.
• Reductions in particulate matter account for only 2.5% of a city’s total score.
• This raises concerns about whether existing assessments adequately reward actual improvements in air quality.

Gaps in the National Clean Air Programme

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• The National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) has improved India’s ability to design pollution-control programmes, allocate budgets and monitor municipal action.
• However, the policy framework has not adequately accounted for the economic costs of delayed implementation.
• The clean-air programmes must be assessed on the basis of actual pollution reduction and public health outcomes rather than the number of activities completed.

Economic costs of air pollution

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• The Hidden Assets assessment by UNEP and the climate and Clean Air Coalition highlights the economic burden of air pollution in South Asia.
• The region loses an estimated 10% of its GDP annually due to reduced productivity and healthcare costs.
• Every rupee invested in a package of climate and clean-air measures could generate approximately rupees 21 in economic and health benefits.
• Even when non-market benefits are excluded, the report estimates a global return of rupees 4 for every rupee invested.
• These benefits include lower hospital bills, fewer missed workdays, improved productivity and lives saved.

Delayed action has long-term consequences

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• If Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) meet national air quality standards on schedule from 2026, their cumulative PM2.5 exposure burden could decline by 20% by 2040.
• An eight-year delay could eliminate half of this potential reduction.
• The implications extend beyond present-day pollution levels.
• Delayed action can result in preventable illness, lost working days and reduced school attendance.
• The health damage caused by prolonged exposure cannot be fully reversed through later interventions.

Institutional fragmentation weakens implementation

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• Air pollution originates from multiple sources, including;
  • Transport and vehicular emissions.
  • Electricity generation and industrial activities.
  • Waste management.
  • Agricultural practices, including crop-residue burning.
  • Household cooking and fuel use.
• These sources fall under different ministries, departments and urban agencies.
• When responsibility is concentrated mainly within environment departments, coordination becomes difficult and accountability weakens.
• Experts identifies institutional fragmentation as a major obstacle to effective clean-air governance.

India’s existing initiatives and their limitations

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• India has demonstrated the ability to implement large-scale transitions through initiatives such as:
  • Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY): Expanded access to LPG connections for rural and low-income households, supporting a shift away from polluting cooking fuels.
  • Solar energy expansion: Demonstrates the potential for scaling up cleaner energy alternatives.
  • National Clean Air Programme: Provides a framework for planning and implementing air pollution control measures.
  • Graded Response Action Plan: Introduces emergency restrictions to address severe pollution episodes, particularly in Delhi-NCR.
• However, emergency restrictions and disconnected schemes cannot replace sustained reductions in pollution at its source.

Challenges in India’s Clean Air Governance

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• Administrative activities may receive recognition even when improvements in air quality remain limited.
• Multiple departments manage different pollution sources, making coordinated action difficult.
• Missed deadlines prolong exposure to harmful pollutants and increase healthcare and productivity losses.
• Temporary restrictions address severe pollution episodes but do not eliminate the underlying sources of emissions.
• Unclear responsibilities and weak consequences for missed targets reduce the effectiveness of pollution-control programmes.
• Air quality policies need to account for human exposure, health risks and the unequal burden borne by vulnerable communities.

Way Forward and Conclusion

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India must set measurable targets, enforce deadlines and link funding to actual improvements in air quality. Cleaner transport, renewable energy, better waste management and coordination between states can help reduce pollution at its source.

Effective clean-air governance requires transport monitoring, public health-focused policies and accountability. Clear targets, timely action and measurable outcomes are essential to achieving cleaner air.

 

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