On solving the Air Pollution problem – Who is in charge of my ‘air’?

Source: The post on solving the Air Pollution problem has been created based on the article “Who is in charge of my ‘air’?” published in “Business Standard” on 24th November 2023.

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 3 Environment – Environmental pollution and degradation

News: The article discusses the various steps that can be taken to deal with the challenges of air pollution in India.

A detailed article on Air Pollution can be read here.

What should be done to deal with the challenges of air pollution issue in India?

Real-Time Pollution Statistics: A complete grid of air quality measurement stations is required across India; these stations need to work accurately, and their data needs to go out in real time.

Research along with Data: A vibrant research community is required, which puts out papers on the problem. This environment of facts and research will ensure evidence-based measures to deal with air pollution.

Identifying the Sources of Pollution: Specialized instruments are required to continuously monitor the air and break down the sources of pollution.

Removing Harmful Policies: The issue of stubble burning is a consequence of various bad policies in the agriculture/food domain. This includes an over-emphasis on cereals (through MSP and public procurement) and the shortening of the sowing window which compels farmers to burn stubble (Punjab Preservation of Subsoil Water Act, 2009).

Tackling Jurisdictional Issues through Collaboration: The problem of air quality is not limited to legal jurisdictions and thus requires collaboration between multiple governments beyond the state and national borders. For instance, around 30% of Indian Punjab’s pollution originates in Pakistan.
World Bank has identified 6 relevant regional airsheds for India, covering multiple urban, provincial, and national jurisdictions. 4 of the 6 span national borders. All authorities in a given airshed need to cooperate on data, research, and policy formulation.

Air Pollution across Jurisdictions. 

Terminology Used:

Airshed: An airshed is a geographical area where local topography and meteorology limit the dispersion of pollutants away from the area. They are formed by air masses moving across a landscape, thus influencing the atmospheric composition of that area. These airsheds usually do not overlap with legal-political boundaries.

Question for practice:

The problem of air pollution in India is a complex issue spanning multiple jurisdictions and stakeholders. Discuss.