India's Pollution Problem: Has It Improved?

India is one of the most polluted countries in the world, with air pollution posing a significant threat to the health of its citizens. In recent years, the country has made efforts to address this issue by implementing various measures, such as the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), which aims to reduce particulate pollution, and the Act to regulate air pollution. While some cities like Kolkata have shown improvements, air pollution remains a persistent problem across India, with levels either remaining the same or worsening in winter months. The main contributors to India's air pollution include industrial and vehicular emissions, construction, crop residue burning, and the use of thermal power for electricity. Despite the challenges, India is taking significant steps to combat air pollution, including expanding renewable energy sources, promoting electric vehicles, and supplying LPG cooking fuel to households.

India's National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)

The NCAP provides an overall framework for cities to develop air quality management plans, with guidance on policies across sectors such as transport, agriculture, and waste. It prioritises 132 "non-attainment" cities, where air pollution standards are not being met. The programme sets a time-bound goal for improving air quality across India, with a focus on reducing exposure to harmful PM2.5 and PM10 particles.

The NCAP builds on India's existing efforts to improve air quality, such as strengthening vehicular and industrial emission standards and promoting renewable energy and electric vehicles. The Indian government has also set aside funding to combat air pollution, allocating about $1.7 billion over five years for 42 cities with populations of over one million, provided they reduce air pollution by 15% annually.

The NCAP has led to the development of 102 city clean air action plans, which include institutional, legal, and administrative arrangements for regional air quality management. However, these plans often lack financial requirements and the necessary inter-departmental and regional alignment for effective air pollution mitigation. To improve the implementation of the NCAP, recommendations include mandating regular updates for emission and pollution loads and granting greater fiscal autonomy to Urban Local Bodies to maintain air quality infrastructure.

India's air pollution challenges are diverse, with industrial and vehicular emissions, construction, waste burning, and power plant emissions all contributing significantly. The country's air quality is also influenced by seasonal variations, with lower pollution levels during the monsoon season due to wet deposition and higher levels in winter due to stagnant conditions. To effectively address air pollution, India must take action at the sub-national level and standardise tools and data sets for airshed-based management, as air quality is influenced by particles transported over large geographic areas.

Air pollution sources

India has one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, and air pollution is one of the challenges associated with this growth and development. India's air quality worsens in winter and improves with the onset of the monsoon season.

The main sources of air pollution in India include:

Industrial Emissions

The industrial sector is the largest contributor to air pollution in India, accounting for about 51% of total air pollution. This includes emissions from power plants, which are the second-largest source of pollution in India. In particular, power emissions are the biggest contributor to SO2 (44% to 62%) and NOx (24% to 43%). The massive industrialization in India over the past few decades has significantly impacted the country's air pollution levels. Small-scale industries, in particular, use unregulated fuels such as biomass, plastic, and crude oil, which release various toxic pollutants into the air when burned.

Vehicle Emissions

Vehicles are a significant source of air pollution in India, contributing about 27% of the total. Traffic gridlock in Indian cities like Delhi is extreme, resulting in a buildup of local pollution, especially under stagnant conditions. At low average trip speeds, vehicles in India emit air pollutants 4 to 8 times more than they would with less traffic congestion. The Indian government has been emphasizing the expansion of renewable energy and the promotion of electric vehicles to combat this source of pollution.

Residential Sources

Residential sources, including the burning of solid fuels like firewood, fuel wood, agricultural waste, dung cakes, and biomass for cooking, heating, and other purposes, are a major contributor to air pollution in India. This is particularly prevalent in rural areas, where traditional fuel dominates domestic energy use. Household air pollution contributes 60% more to total PM2.5 exposure than coal burning and 4 to 6 times more than open burning and transportation.

Construction and Agriculture

Construction dust and debris, as well as large-scale crop residue burning in agricultural fields, contribute to air pollution in India. Crop burning accounts for about 17% of the country's air pollution.

Thermal Power Plants

India's dependence on thermal power for electricity is another source of air pollution.

To address these sources of air pollution, India has launched initiatives such as the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), which aims to improve air quality across the country, particularly in cities that are not meeting air pollution standards. The Indian government has also strengthened vehicular and industrial emission standards and is working to standardize tools for air quality management at the sub-national level.

Air quality monitoring

India has taken several steps to address its air pollution crisis. In 2019, the Indian government launched the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), aiming to reduce particulate pollution by 20-30% by 2024. The NCAP focuses on improving air quality in 102 cities that were not meeting India's national annual PM5 standard. In 2022, the government announced a revamped target for the NCAP, increasing the number of cities to 131 and setting a 40% reduction goal by 2025-26.

To achieve these targets, India has emphasized expanding renewable energy, promoting electric vehicles, and supplying LPG cooking fuel to households. The government has also strengthened vehicular and industrial emission standards. In addition, India's Parliament approved a law in August 2021 to establish the Commission of Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and adjoining areas, recognizing the need for cross-jurisdictional coordination to curb air pollution effectively.

The World Bank has been aiding India in Air Quality Management through a phased strategy, providing expertise in airshed management tools, and facilitating policy adjustments. India's first State Air Quality Action Plans and the Regional Airshed Action Plan for the Indo Gangetic Plains (IGP) are being formulated with the support of the World Bank program.

Despite these efforts, air pollution remains a critical issue in India, with industrial pollution, vehicular emissions, construction dust, and biomass burning contributing significantly to poor air quality. The availability of reliable and timely air pollution data is also a challenge, as data from government sources is often not easily accessible or analysis-ready.

To address this, India has implemented the National Air Quality Monitoring Programme (NAMP), executed by the Central Pollution Control Board. The NAMP consists of 966 operating stations in 419 cities/towns across 28 states and 7 Union Territories, monitoring air pollutants such as Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), Oxides of Nitrogen (NO2), Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter (PM10), and Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5). Meteorological parameters such as wind speed, direction, relative humidity, and temperature are also integrated into the monitoring process. The monitoring of pollutants is carried out for 24 hours, with 4-hourly sampling for gaseous pollutants, 8-hourly sampling for particulate matter, and 24-hourly sampling for PM2.5, conducted twice a week to yield 104 observations per year.

Impact of seasons

India's air quality is influenced by seasonal variations, with unique challenges and impacts on pollution levels throughout the year.

Spring and Autumn

During the spring and autumn months, large-scale crop residue burning in agricultural fields is a common practice. This burning of agricultural residues is a cheaper alternative to mechanical tilling, but it contributes significantly to smoke, smog, and particulate pollution. The smoke and emissions from these fires can linger over the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP), worsening air quality.

Summer

In the summer months, India experiences seasonal winds blowing from the west across the Thar Desert, which can drive up PM2.5 levels in cities close to the desert. Human activities, such as construction sites and unpaved roads, also contribute to the suspended dust in the air. Additionally, summer is when dust storms from the west occur sporadically, further adding to the dust and particulate matter in the atmosphere.

Monsoon

The onset of the monsoon season brings substantial rainfall, which helps to improve air quality. The rain scavenges most of the particulates in the air through wet deposition and air scrubbing. This natural cleansing effect leads to lower levels of PM10 and suspended particulate matter during the monsoon months.

Winter

In contrast to the monsoon season, India's air quality tends to worsen during the winter months. Lower mixing heights and calmer conditions during this period can more than double the impact of rising emissions. The cold temperatures drive the need for space heating, often done through the burning of wood, coal, cow dung, and even waste, further increasing emissions. The combination of higher emissions and meteorological conditions results in elevated pollution levels across the country.

Role of the private sector

India has been taking significant steps to address its air pollution problem. The government has strengthened vehicular and industrial emission standards, promoted the use of electric vehicles, and expanded access to LPG cooking fuel. In 2019, India launched the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), aiming to reduce particulate pollution by 20-30% by 2024. This programme has since been revamped, with a new goal of a 40% reduction in pollution levels by 2025-26.

The private sector has a crucial role to play in India's battle against pollution. With their technical expertise and sector-specific knowledge, private companies can devise effective long-term solutions to key challenges, such as the lack of technological solutions and large-scale monitoring. For example, companies like ExxonMobil have developed energy-efficient industrial lubricants to enhance energy efficiency and environmental viability.

Private sector innovations in cleaner energy solutions can significantly reduce India's dependence on fossil fuels, particularly coal, which currently accounts for 72% of the country's electricity generation. By developing and implementing cleaner gas-based energy alternatives, the private sector can help reduce the industry's demand for fossil fuels, which is projected to double by 2030.

The private sector can also contribute by financing academic partnerships and trans-disciplinary research to deepen the understanding of air pollution sources and drive technological breakthroughs. As the largest contributors to air pollution, businesses in the private sector must take responsibility and align their practices and supply chains with the clean air agenda. By setting standards to monitor and regulate pollution at all production stages, businesses can reduce their environmental footprint and that of their suppliers.

Additionally, the private sector can support India's "Make in India" mandate by empowering the government's initiatives. Through their innovations and expertise, private companies can help address the interrelated challenges of air pollution and the climate crisis, contributing to the country's overall economic growth and sustainable development.

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