India's Path to Blue Skies

Key Highlights:

• India observes International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies on September 7 as Swachh Vayu Diwas, emphasizing urgent action against air pollution.
• The National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) covers 130 cities, with 108 cities recording lower PM10 levels in FY 2025–26 compared to 2017–18.
• Under NCAP, 72 cities achieved over 20% reduction in PM10, and 26 cities recorded over 40% reduction.
• Swachh Vayu Survekshan annually assesses 130 cities, promoting competition; Lucknow, Rourkela, and Kalinganagar topped categories in 2026.
• Key institutions like Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), and State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) drive India's clean air goals.
• Digital platforms like PRANA portal and SAMEER mobile app provide real-time air quality data and track NCAP implementation.

Detailed Insights:

• NCAP, launched in 2019, is a multi-sectoral initiative with ₹16,423.55 crore allocated to 130 cities for pollution mitigation measures.
• Air pollution monitoring in India uses systems like National Air Quality Monitoring Programme (NAMP), Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring System (CAAQMS), and Online Continuous Emission Monitoring System (OCEMS).
• The Air Quality Index (AQI) classifies air quality into 6 categories (Good to Severe) based on 8 pollutants, providing a simple tool for public understanding.
• Vehicular emission control includes BS VI adoption, promotion of electric vehicles via PM E-Drive scheme and PM E-Bus Sewa, and the PARIVARTAN scheme for fleet modernization in NCR.
• Industrial emission measures involve environmental standards, CPCB classification of industries, mandatory OCEMS for highly polluting units, and stricter particulate matter norms by CAQM.
• Open waste burning is addressed through various rules like Solid Waste (2016, revised in 2026), Plastic Waste (2016, amended 2022), Hazardous Waste (2016), E-Waste (2022), Battery Waste (2022), and Biomedical Waste Management Rules (2016), along with Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) mandates.
• Crop residue burning is mitigated by promoting paddy straw pelletisation, biomass co-firing in thermal power plants, and distributing crop residue management machines, leading to significant reductions in Punjab and Haryana.
• Afforestation efforts include Green India Mission, Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA), Nagar Van Yojana, Aravalli Green Wall initiative, and Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam campaign.
• CPCB is a statutory body under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, working to improve air quality.
• CAQM is a statutory body for the NCR, established under the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Act, 2021, coordinating Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) implementation.
• State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) are frontline regulators with expanded responsibilities, and new uniform consent guidelines and a Unified Consent and Authorization Management System (UCAMS) have been introduced for transparency.

Key Concepts Involved:

• National Clean Air Programme (NCAP): A pan-India initiative launched in 2019 to reduce air pollution levels in 130 non-attainment cities.
• Particulate Matter (PM10 & PM2.5): Tiny solid or liquid particles suspended in the air, with PM2.5 being finer and more harmful due to deeper respiratory penetration.
• Air Quality Index (AQI): A tool that communicates daily air quality to the public, classifying it into six categories based on concentrations of eight major pollutants.
• Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP): An emergency response framework for the NCR that implements graded measures based on the severity of air pollution levels.