15 June 2024 – The Hindu

Air Pollution in India

• In India, air pollution is now considered as a “obvious environmental status” and is frequently used as an indicator of economic development. But given the seriousness of this problem—which includes potential health risks as well as financial losses—it is imperative that it be addressed right away.
• According to a recent global analysis by IQAir, with an average population-weighted fine particulate matter (PM) 2.5 concentration of 54.4 micrograms per cubic metre (μg/m3), India was the third most polluted country in the world in 2023. The financial toll that air pollution takes is enormous. An economic loss of Rs 2.7 lakh crore, or 1.36% of India’s GDP, is incurred annually due to air pollution-related mortality. In addition, a recent assessment found that India’s GDP might have increased by 4.5% had air pollution increased at a rate of 50% less annually.

Air pollution: what is it?

• About: The term “air pollution” refers to the presence of any combination of solids, liquids, gases, noise, and radioactive radiation in the atmosphere at levels that endanger human health, the environment, property, or living things.
• These materials, also referred to as pollutants, can be man-made or natural, and they can come from a variety of sources, including agricultural practices, industrial processes, car emissions, and natural occurrences like volcanic eruptions and wildfires.

Principal Causes of Air Pollution:

• Vehicle and Industrial Emissions: The main pollutants from cars (>80%) are carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs).
• Sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), iron and steel, sugar, paper, cement, fertiliser, copper, and aluminium are among the industries that contribute to suspended particulate matter (SPM), SOx, NOx, and CO2.
• Currently, road transport contributes significantly to urban air pollution and accounts for 12% of India’s energy-related CO2 emissions (International Energy Agency).
• Solid trash Burning: India produces about 62 million tonnes (MT) of trash annually, much of it is burned openly or in unofficial disposal sites, according to a report by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI).
• PM, furans, and dioxins are among the contaminants that are released when solid waste is burned outdoors.
• Burning Stubble and Other Agricultural Activities: Burning straw stubble intentionally after harvesting crops like wheat and rice, especially in Punjab, Haryana, and UP, greatly increases air pollution, especially in the NCR area in the winter.
• In an attempt to curb stubble-burning farming in Punjab and the surrounding states of Delhi, the Supreme Court suggested in 2023 that farmers who engage in this practice be excluded from the minimum support price (MSP).
• Air pollution is caused by burning crop residue in addition to other agricultural practices including tilling, applying pesticides and fertilisers, and raising livestock incorrectly.
• Particulate particles, methane, and ammonia are released into the atmosphere by these operations.
• Cooking and Heating at Home: Between 62 and 65 percent of rural Indian households cook and heat their homes using solid fuels like coal, biomass and kerosene.
• These fuels release dangerous pollutants as PM, CO, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) when they burn incompletely.
• Coal-Based Power Plants: Of India’s man-made emissions, coal-based thermal power plants account for more than half of sulphur dioxide (SO2), 30% of nitrogen oxides (NOx), and roughly 20% of particulate matter (PM) emissions when they lack pollution control technologies (International Energy Agency).
• Misuse of Pyrolysis: Pyrolysis is a synthetic material breakdown technology that contributes to pollution by leaving behind fine carbon matter and residues such pyro gas and oil.
• In 2014, the National Green Tribunal outlawed the open burning of old tyres and the use of them as fuel in brick kilns.

Which government initiatives are the most important for reducing air pollution?

• The SAFAR Portal is the system for air quality and weather forecasting and research.
• The New Commission on Air Quality Management
• Delhi’s Graded Response Action Plan.
• To Cut Down on Vehicle Pollution:
• BS-VI Automobiles,
• The National Electric Mobility Mission Plan
• Note: Under Article 21 of the Constitution, the Supreme Court interpreted the right to live in a pollution-free environment as a basic right to life in the case of M.C. Mehta v. Union of India.

Why, in spite of significant initiatives, is India unable to contain air pollution?

• India’s economic boom has resulted in a surge in vehicle ownership, especially for two-wheelers and budget vehicles, which frequently have inadequate emission requirements. Rapid vehicular growth is outpacing infrastructure development.
• The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) reports that during the fiscal year 2022–2023, sales of passenger cars increased by 26.7% in India.
• Due to the inability of public transport infrastructure, such as electric buses and metro networks, to keep up with this expansion, emissions and traffic congestion have worsened.
• Furthermore, even while laws like the Bharat Stage VI pollution regulations are meant to lower vehicle emissions, their effects take time to materialise because the fleet of vehicles does not alter overnight.
• Inadequate Infrastructure for Monitoring and Data gathering: There are not enough dependable data gathering systems or sufficient air quality monitoring stations in many Indian cities, especially in smaller towns and rural areas.
• For example, Bihar has only 35 continuous ambient air quality monitoring stations, although being 63 times larger in square kilometres than Delhi.
• The National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) was introduced in 2019 with the goal of reducing particulate matter (PM) levels by 20–30% by 2024. However, its implementation has been inconsistent. Later, it was changed to 40% by 2026.
• The Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change reports that 27% of cities have spent less than 30% of their allotted budgets, and that just 60% of the money have been used on average thus far.
• Of their NCAP money, Visakhapatnam has used 0% and Bengaluru 1%, respectively.
• Neglecting to Handle Regional and Cross-Border Pollution: One of the NCAP’s design flaws is that while it obliges towns to cut pollution inside their borders, they have no control over emissions originating from beyond them.
• For instance, only around one-third of the pollution in Delhi originates from within the city; the remainder is caused by industrial pollutants or stubble burning from nearby states.

What Steps Can Be Taken in India to Hasten the Control of Air Pollution?

• Introduce Air Quality Bonds: Require large polluters such as industries to buy Air Quality Bonds, with the bond amount corresponding to the polluters’ emissions.
• The money raised can be put towards clean technology subsidies, public awareness initiatives, and remediation projects.
• There would be fines or forfeiture of the bail amount for noncompliance.
• The goal of the Biochar Brigade is to enable rural communities—especially women’s self-help groups—to make and market biochar, a material that resembles charcoal that is made by burning organic waste under controlled conditions.
• To increase soil fertility and sequester carbon, mix soil with biochar. It can also be used as fuel, which lessens the need for dirty firewood.
• By giving rural people access to LPG cylinders, the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana lowers the need for firewood. A comparable initiative might encourage the production and application of biochar.
• Expanding the Canopy Cover of Urban Forests: Organising a nationwide competition among cities to expand the canopy cover of urban forests.
• Grants for additional greening projects are awarded to the cities that see the biggest increases in green space within a predetermined amount of time.
• Brazil’s Curitiba is renowned for its creative urban design that emphasises green areas. Similar tactics that are tailored to India’s climate and urban settings could be adopted.
• Air Quality-Based Tolling: Using real-time data on air quality to inform dynamic toll pricing on roads and bridges.
• This tactic can control traffic patterns and cut emissions on days when pollution is at its highest. The money raised can be put towards initiatives to improve public transport or reduce air pollution.
• An analogous system has been put in place in Stockholm, Sweden, to control traffic congestion. India can use this idea, concentrating on managing air quality.
• National Air Quality Awareness Corps: Establish a special National Air Quality Awareness Corps made up of experts and trained volunteers who can educate communities, run grassroots initiatives to raise awareness, and encourage public participation in measures to mitigate air pollution.
• Building using Biomimicry: Biomimicry has the potential to completely transform the building industry. To improve airflow organically, for example, termite mound-inspired natural ventilation systems or leaf-inspired microstructures for facades can be developed.
• Incorporating vegetation, such as rooftop plantings and vertical gardens, enhances aesthetic value while also serving as a natural air filter by absorbing pollutants and hazardous gases.
• One notable example is the installation of tree seats at important municipal landmarks by European company Green municipal Solutions.
• These moss-covered benches provide a novel way to reduce air pollution by efficiently absorbing pollutants.