Initiatives to Control Air Pollution – UPSC GS3

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Indian Initiatives to Control Air Pollution:
  • The Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region (NCR) and Adjoining Areas: It coordinates efforts of state governments to curb air pollution, and will lay down the parameters of air quality for the region.
  • Bharat Stage (BS) VI norms: These are emission control standards put in place by the government to keep a check on air pollution.
  • Dashboard for Monitoring Air Quality: It is a National Air Quality Monitoring Programme (NAMP) based dashboard, built on data from the Central Pollution Control Board’s National Ambient Air Quality Monitoring (NAAQM) Network which was started in 1984-85 and covers 344 cities/towns in 29 states and 6 UTs.
  • National Clean Air Programme: Launched in 2019, it is a comprehensive pan-India air pollution abatement scheme for 102 cities.
  • National Air Quality Index (AQI): It focuses on health effects one might experience within a few hours or days after breathing polluted air.
  • National Ambient Air Quality Standards: They are the standards for ambient air quality with reference to various identified pollutants notified by the Central Pollution Control Board under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.
  • Breathe: It is a 15 point action plan to fight air pollution by NITI Aayog.
  • Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY): It aims at providing clean-cooking fuel to the poor households and bringing in qualitative charges in the living standards.
International Initiatives:
  • Climate and Clean Air Coalition:
    • Launched in 2019
    • It is a voluntary partnership of governments, intergovernmental organizations, businesses, scientific institutions and civil society organizations committed to protecting the climate and improving air quality through actions to reduce short-lived climate pollutants.
    • India is a member of the coalition.
  • United Nation’s Clean Air Initiative: It calls on national and subnational governments to commit to achieving air quality that is safe for citizens, and to align climate change and air pollution policies by 2030.
  • World Health Organization (WHO)’s 4 Pillar Strategy: WHO adopted a resolution (2015) to address the adverse health effects of air pollution.
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