Relevance: GS Paper III (Ecology and Environment)
[1000 words reduced to 200]
- India is home to 14 of the world’s 20 most polluted cities.
- Lessons from other countries:
- China had announced an Air Pollution Action Plan for PM 2.5 reduction.
- The South Korean government also set a target of PM 2.5 reduction.
- In China, air pollution prevention and control is the responsibility of the central environmental protection inspector.
- Further, in China, the local governments are primarily responsible s for the implementation of their pollution reduction plan.
- India’s options:
- Comprehensive plan and setting of goals. For example, National Clean Air Programme (NCAP).
- Designating an in-charge, empowered with the due mandate For example, an Air Quality Manager.
- Driving a change in perspective. For example, clean air programmes can provide significant economic opportunity.
- Air pollution programmes can provide economic opportunity:
- Solar photovoltaics can provide jobs.
- Electric vehicles could launch new business opportunities in areas such as battery charging.
- An overall positive impact on the GDP.
- Loss in tax revenue corresponding to the oil sector can be compensated by the tax revenue from other economic sectors.
- To win the battle against air pollution, India needs a comprehensive action plan for the whole year and not just Diwali.
