Meghan Hodges
India's air pollution is a pressing issue, with the country being home to 11 of the 20 most air-polluted cities in 2024. In 2022, six of the world's top ten most polluted cities were located in India. The main sources of air pollution in India are industrial and vehicular emissions, construction dust and debris, thermal power generation, waste burning, and the use of wood and dung for cooking and heating. India's air pollution is exacerbated by geographical factors, such as the Himalayas blocking air pollution from reaching China and Tibet, and seasonal weather patterns. The country's large population and rapid industrialization have also contributed to the poor air quality. Despite the health risks associated with air pollution, it is not a significant political issue in India, and weak regulation and enforcement of rules have failed to effectively address the problem.
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What You'll Learn
Industrial emissions
India's poor air quality is largely due to its business practices and environmental standards. With a huge population and many industries in a relatively small area, India's high levels of industrial emissions are not surprising.
In 2019, India was the third-largest producer of greenhouse gases, after China and the United States. Industrial pollution accounts for 51% of India's air pollution, with vehicles and crop burning also contributing significantly.
In Delhi, a city of 25 million people, there are between 3,000 and 4,000 factories. The city also has eleven small thermal power stations, which are highly polluting. In addition, Delhi has very dense vehicular traffic, with millions of cars, scooters, and auto-rickshaws on its roads. The transportation sector is a major contributor to Delhi's poor air quality, with vehicles emitting PM2.5, small particles that pose a significant health risk.
India's industrial emissions are also impacted by the country's reliance on fossil fuels, particularly coal. Coal-fired power stations and steel plants are major polluters, and the burning of coal contributes to the high levels of particulate matter in the air.
The government has introduced initiatives to address air pollution, such as the National Clean Air Programme, which aims to reduce particulate matter concentrations by 20%-30% by 2024-2026. However, enforcement of regulations has been lacking, and there is a lack of incentive for residents to switch to cleaner forms of transportation or fuel.
The health impacts of industrial emissions and air pollution in India are severe. Air pollution contributes to the premature deaths of 2 million Indians every year, with respiratory infections, lung diseases, and cardiac arrest being common consequences. The economic costs are also significant, with air pollution resulting in an estimated loss of US$28.8 billion in 2019.
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Vehicle exhaust
Millions of cars, scooters, and auto-rickshaws on Delhi's roads are the worst emitters of PM2.5, the deadly small particles that pose a significant health risk. The metro system is seen as poorly connected and expensive, and the bus system is underfunded and overloaded, giving residents few incentives to opt for public transportation.
The problem is exacerbated by the adulteration of gasoline and diesel with lower-priced fuels, which is a common practice in South Asia, including India. Some adulterants increase the emission of harmful pollutants from vehicles, worsening urban air pollution. Financial incentives arising from differential taxes are generally the primary cause of fuel adulteration. Gasoline, for instance, carries a much higher tax than diesel, which in turn is taxed more than kerosene, which is meant to be used for cooking. As fuel prices rise, public transport drivers cut costs by blending cheaper hydrocarbons into highly taxed hydrocarbons.
The Indian government has attempted to address the issue with initiatives such as the National Clean Air Programme, launched in 2019, which includes strategies to reduce particulate matter concentration by 40% by 2025-26. However, the effectiveness of these measures remains to be seen, and India continues to struggle with horrendous air pollution caused by vehicle exhaust.
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Crop burning
India's poor air quality has been attributed to several factors, with crop burning being a significant contributor.
The impact of crop burning is exacerbated by geographical factors. The Himalayas, which border India to the north, act as a barrier, trapping pollutants and preventing their dispersal. This is particularly evident in the northern Indian states of Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and New Delhi, where crop burning, coupled with vehicular and industrial emissions, has led to copious amounts of smog.
The Indian government has recognized the issue and introduced schemes to curtail stubble burning. However, implementation has been challenging, with farmers resistant to adopting new technologies due to cost concerns and traditional practices.
The consequences of crop burning extend beyond air pollution. It contributes to the Asian brown cloud, which delays the onset of the monsoon season, affecting weather patterns and agriculture. Additionally, the smoke and haze from crop burning have economic implications, impacting tourism and business operations.
To address the issue, India launched its Clean Air Programme in 2019, aiming to reduce particulate matter concentration by 40% by 2025-2026. The programme includes measures such as cracking down on coal-based power plants and promoting the use of clean fuels. While some cities have shown improvements in air quality, crop burning remains a significant challenge, requiring further efforts to mitigate its impact on India's air pollution crisis.
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Poor regulation
India's poor air quality is largely attributed to a combination of geographical factors, industrialisation, and cultural practices. However, the underlying cause of its horrendous air pollution is deeply rooted in the country's poor regulation and enforcement of environmental standards.
In 1981, the Indian government passed the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act to address air pollution. Unfortunately, this legislation has failed to effectively reduce pollution due to weak enforcement. The lack of strict implementation has allowed polluting industries, such as coal-fired power stations and steel plants, to continue their harmful practices without significant repercussions.
The issue of air pollution in India is further exacerbated by the country's taxation policies. Gasoline, for example, is taxed much higher than diesel, which is in turn taxed more than kerosene. This creates financial incentives for public transport drivers to blend cheaper hydrocarbons into highly taxed ones, resulting in increased emissions of harmful pollutants from vehicles.
Additionally, the government has been criticised for its reactive approach to addressing air pollution. Avinash Chanchal, deputy programme director at Greenpeace South Asia, emphasised the need to target all sectors contributing to pollution, including transportation, power plants, waste management, and construction. However, the government's efforts often fall short of the required long-term strategic planning, resulting in temporary solutions that fail to address the root causes of the problem.
The consequences of poor air quality in India are dire, with approximately 1.67 million deaths and an estimated loss of US$28.8 billion in 2019 alone. Despite this, pollution is not a prominent political issue in India and is rarely a focus during election campaigns. This indicates a disconnect between the urgency of the problem and the attention it receives from policymakers, further hindering the implementation of effective regulations.
While India has recently launched initiatives such as the National Clean Air Programme, which aims to reduce particulate matter concentrations, the success of these programmes remains to be seen. Until India prioritises air quality and enforces stringent regulations, its citizens will continue to suffer the devastating health and economic impacts of horrendous air pollution.
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Geographic constraints
India's air pollution is influenced by several geographic factors, including the country's geographical location, terrain features, and climatic conditions.
Firstly, India's location in South Asia places it in close proximity to the Himalayas, the world's tallest mountain range. The Himalayas act as a natural barrier, trapping pollutants and preventing their dispersal. This is particularly evident in the northern regions of India, where the Himalayas block air pollution from reaching neighbouring countries like China and Tibet. As a result, the pollution generated in India, as well as the pollution trapped by the mountains, concentrates over the northern parts of the country, contributing to the poor air quality in these areas.
Secondly, India's diverse terrain includes plains, plateaus, and coastal regions, which influence the dispersion of pollutants. The country's vast plains, such as the Indo-Gangetic Plain, provide ample space for the spread of pollution, allowing it to affect large areas. The plateau regions, such as the Deccan Plateau, may create pockets of pollution that affect localised areas. Additionally, the coastal regions experience the impact of marine influences on air quality, with sea breeze potentially dispersing or mitigating pollutants along the coastlines.
Furthermore, India's climatic conditions play a significant role in the distribution and concentration of air pollutants. During the autumn and winter months, cold air settles down, creating a "lid" effect that traps pollutants. This is particularly noticeable in the northern regions, including Delhi, where the combination of geographical constraints and climatic factors results in a build-up of pollution. In contrast, the hot air during summer can carry pollutants away, providing some respite from the pollution. However, this also means that pollutants can spread over larger areas, affecting multiple regions simultaneously.
The geographic constraints in India are further exacerbated by human activities such as industrial emissions, vehicular pollution, construction, and crop burning. These activities release pollutants into the atmosphere, and the geographic features of the country prevent their effective dispersal, leading to the horrendous air pollution that India faces today.
Overall, India's geographical location, terrain variations, and climatic conditions play a significant role in influencing the distribution and concentration of air pollutants, contributing to the country's severe air pollution issues.
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Frequently asked questions
India's air pollution is caused by a combination of industrial emissions, vehicle exhaust, construction, geographical factors, and the burning of crops and waste.
India's industrial emissions come from factories, coal-burning power plants, and steel plants.
India's cities have high traffic density, with millions of cars, scooters, and auto-rickshaws on the roads. The use of adulterated fuel blends and gasoline contamination with kerosene further worsen vehicle emissions.
Construction activities generate dust and debris, contributing to particulate air pollution.
India's geographical location, surrounded by mountains such as the Himalayas, can trap air pollutants during certain seasons, particularly in the north.
