Given the nature of air pollution crisis in India, certain context-specific solutions are required to tackle it comprehensively. Discuss.

According to IQ air report 2021, 9 out of 10 most polluted cities in terms of air pollution are in India.

Nature of air pollution crisis:

  • Agricultural sector – It contributes to methane emissions from paddy farming, nitrogen oxide from fertilizers and particulate & CO2 via stubble burning.
  • Vehicles – Vehicular emission results in CO2, emission of oxides of Sulphur and nitrogen.
  • Industries are the major source of carbon dioxide, oxides of Sulphur and nitrogen.
  • Construction sector emits dust particles at large scale.
  • Thermal power plants emit huge quantities of carbon, Sulphur dioxide, and large amount of soot, fly ash.
  • Cooking – women in rural areas use traditional fuels like cow dung cake, wood, etc.

Context-specific solutions:

  • Agriculture – Adopt direct seeding method of rice cultivation to reduce methane emissions. Adopt Pusa-decomposer technology of Delhi to tackle stubble burning. Bio decomposers reduce need of stubble burning.
  • Vehicles – Promote use of electrical vehicles.
  • Improve fuels – use of BS6 fuel, CNG, green hydrogen, etc.
  • Industries and thermal power plant – Use flue-gas desulphurization for Sulphur oxides. Use selective catalytic reduction technique for nitrogen oxides.
  • Construction sector – Frame guidelines to regulate technologies used. Promote covered construction sector.
  • Electricity generation – Replace thermal power plants with solar, wind and green Hydrogen based fuels. For current power plants adopt coal gasification Technology.
  • Cooking – Promote usage of LPG and electricity induction stoves.
  • Institutional – Capacity building of newly formed Commission for Air quality in NCR, CPCB.

These measures can significantly cut down air pollution levels in India.

Originally written on June 16, 2023 and last modified on October 27, 2024.

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