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India’s Air Quality Crisis: It’s More Than Just Pollution
India has one of the fastest-growing economies worldwide, but air pollution is one of the major challenges associated with this growth and development. Of the world’s top 30 cities with the worst air pollution, 21 are in India. Its capital, New Delhi, has the poorest air quality among capital cities globally. Concentrations of particulate matter (PM2.5) in the national capital are nearly 10 times higher than the World Health Organization guidelines.
However, air pollution is not the only factor affecting the air quality in India. While industry exhaust, construction activities, and vehicles impact air quality, other factors like climate change and seasonal variations also play a key role. So, scroll down to learn about the current air quality crisis in India, the reasons behind it, and the best solutions for prevention.
A. Understanding Air Quality
Air quality is the measure of how much toxic particulates, pollutants, or gaseous materials are present in the air. Deteriorating air quality affects human health and may also impact the environment negatively. This requires citizens of the country to learn whether their places of residence have good air quality or are exposed to higher pollution levels.
Air quality index (AQI) is a specific number used by various government agencies to measure air pollution levels and communicate the results to the population. The AQI usually provides a numerical scale that ranges from 0 to 500, where higher numbers indicate more severe pollution. Several factors determine the AQI of a particular place. These include:
Alt Text: Factors Affecting AQI in India (Source: Napkin AI)
- Air Pollutants: Harmful gases like ozone, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, and sulfur dioxide.
- Contaminants: Fine particulate matter, dust, smoke, and pollen that degrade air quality.
- Weather: Wind, humidity, and temperature influence how pollutants disperse or concentrate.
- Location: Urban areas with high traffic or industries usually have poorer air quality than rural areas.
B. Beyond Pollution: Other Factors Impacting Air Quality
Alt Text: Factors Affecting AQI
1. Meteorological and Seasonal Conditions
Weather patterns and seasonal changes in India are quite common, and they are among the top factors impacting air quality across regions. Hence, the key factors impacting air quality in this case are:
- Low Wind Speeds: Most pollutants remain stagnant in the air without strong winds. This often builds up over time and worsens air quality.
- Temperature Inversion: This weather event traps pollutants close to the ground under a warm layer of air. It leads to smog and breathing issues.
- High Moisture Levels: Humidity causes pollutants to clump together. It also increases the density of smog and reduces visibility.
2. Geographical and Environmental Influences
Terrain and natural surroundings also impact the air quality of several regions, especially in the case of India. Natural geography either helps clear the air or keeps pollutants trapped in the following ways:
- Landlocked Locations: Cities that do not have any exposure to coastal breezes or wide plains may struggle with stagnant air and eventually, pollutant buildup.
- Urban Heat Islands: Concrete-heavy cities trap heat and lead to the formation of harmful ground-level ozone.
- Dust Storms from Arid Regions: Deserts like the Thar release large amounts of dust during storms. Sometimes, this pollution also spreads across states and raises pollution levels.
- Dry, Dusty Rural Areas: Loose soil in certain regions of the country is easily picked up by the wind. This is known to add up to PM10 levels in several nearby towns and cities.
- Valleys and Low-Lying Areas: Pollutants often settle and stay in places where air doesn’t circulate well. This may create long-lasting smog and poor air quality in nearby areas.
- Forest Fires: Fires are either caused by nature or humans. They may often release smoke, carbon monoxide, and fine particles over vast distances.
- Climate Change: Shifting weather patterns and rising global temperatures often alter the wind flow, rainfall, and pollutant dispersion.
3. Land Use and Vegetation Loss
Nature plays a key role in keeping our air clean, especially through trees and open green spaces. However, rapid urbanization and land-use changes are disrupting this balance.
- Deforestation and Reduced Greenery: Trees absorb pollutants and produce clean oxygen. When they are cut down, the air loses its natural purifiers.
- Unregulated Urban Expansion: Overcrowded cities with high-rise buildings and limited planning prevent proper airflow. Most of them tend to trap pollutants at ground level.
4. Urban Construction Activities
Construction work is a major source of air pollution, especially in rapidly developing urban centers. In cities like Delhi, studies suggest that construction alone can contribute up to 22% to 23.1% of local air pollution.
- Regular Construction Activities: Excavation, demolition, and transportation of construction materials release large amounts of dust (PM 10), silica, and other particulate matter into the air.
- Poor Regulation: Limited regulations associated with construction activities and lack of dust control measures exacerbate the issue. This also leads to significant health risks and deteriorating air quality.
C. Tools and Technologies for Air Quality Measurement in India
Researchers, scientists, and government authorities use various tools and technologies for air quality measurement in India. Here’s an overview of these relevant resources that can aid in the discussions on the country’s air pollution levels:
1. Tools and Technologies
- Monitoring Stations: An Air Quality Monitoring Station (AQMS) measures various meteorological parameters such as wind direction, wind speed, rainfall, temperature, radiation, barometric pressure, and ambient parameters.
- Satellite Data: Imagery from artificial satellites is used to characterise various aerosols in the atmosphere. This includes but is not limited to volcanic ash, wildfire, and dust storms.
2. National and Regional Efforts
SAFAR: System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research is an app that provides real-time air quality data and forecasts for major cities in India.
CPCB: The Central Pollution Control Board is a statutory organisation that measures and improves air quality by preventing and controlling further pollution.
Local Dashboards: Several state governments and municipal bodies have also created city- or district-level air quality dashboards to measure the air quality.
3. Public Tools
D. Solutions and the Way Forward
● Policy Responses
The government of India has taken several measures to overcome the issue of air pollution. One of them is the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP). It was launched in 2019 to improve air quality in the country by reducing particulate matter (PM) concentrations to around 20-30% by 2024. NCAP was later extended to 2026 with a revised target of over 40% reduction in PM10 levels.
