Air pollution is defined as the release of pollutants into the atmosphere that are harmful to

human health and the environment as a whole.

“Air is polluted when one or several pollutants are present in the atmosphere at such a
concentration and for so long a time that they are harmful to man, animals, plants or material
property, cause harm or reduce well-being or disturb appreciably its application” (World
Health Organisation)
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills approximately seven
million people per year around the world. Nine out of ten people now breathe air that exceeds
the WHO's pollution guideline levels

Air Pollution
 Any physical, chemical, or biological alteration in the air is referred to as air
pollution.
 Pollution of the air by toxic gasses, dust, and smoke has a significant impact on
plants, animals, and humans.
 In the atmosphere, there is a specific percentage of gasses. A change in the
composition of these gasses, whether positive or negative, is detrimental to survival.
 As a result of this imbalance in the gaseous composition, the earth's temperature has
risen, causing global warming.
Today, India is the world's second most polluted country.

Air pollution reduces average Indian life expectancy by 6.3 years when compared to what it
would be if the World Health Organisation (WHO) guideline was met, and by 3.4 years
when compared to what it would be if pollution was reduced to meet the country's own
national standard.

 Although the number of deaths from pollution sources associated with extreme
poverty has decreased (such as indoor air pollution and water pollution), these
reductions have been offset by an increase in deaths due to industrial pollution (such
as ambient air pollution and chemical pollution).
 These regions include New Delhi as well as many of the most polluted cities.
 Household biomass combustion was the leading cause of air pollution deaths in
India, followed by coal combustion and crop burning.

Fossil Fuels
 One of the biggest causes of air pollution is sulfur dioxide, which is emitted through
the combustion of fossil fuels such as coal, petroleum for energy in power plants, and
other industry combustibles.
 Hundreds of millions of vehicles on the road are powered by gasoline and diesel
engines, which release energy by burning petroleum. Petroleum is made up of
hydrocarbons, which do not burn cleanly in engines.
  As a result, pollutants such as PM, nitric oxide, and NO2 (together referred to as
NOx), carbon monoxide, organic compounds, and lead are released from vehicles
such as trucks, jeeps, cars, trains, and airplanes, resulting in high pollution levels.
 Carbon monoxide, which is emitted by automobiles and is caused by faulty or
incomplete combustion, is another major pollutant, along with nitrogen oxides, which
are created by both natural and man-made processes.
 We rely heavily on these kinds of transportation because they are part of our everyday
basic needs.
 However, their overuse is harming our ecosystem by contaminating the atmosphere
with hazardous gasses.
.
Waste on Landfills
Waste on Landfills
 Landfills are sites where rubbish is buried or placed.
 Methane is produced by these deposited or buried wastes.
 Methane is a significant greenhouse gas that is extremely combustible and dangerous.
 E-waste is another serious issue that involves a variety of unethical practices such as
chemical leakage, burning wires.
Industrial dust and Waste
Industrial dust and Waste
 Manufacturing companies emit a significant amount of carbon monoxide,
hydrocarbons, organic compounds, and chemicals into the air, lowering air quality.
 Petroleum refineries also emit hydrocarbons and a variety of other pollutants, which
damage the air and soil.
Mining Operation
Mining Operation
 Mining is the extraction of minerals from under the earth's surface utilizing heavy
machinery.
 Dust and chemicals are released into the air throughout the process, resulting in
significant air pollution.
 This is one of the factors contributing to the deteriorating health of workers and
inhabitants in the area.

Dust and Construction

  Construction activities such as land clearing, diesel engine operation, demolition,
burning, and working with toxic materials all contribute to air pollution.
 Construction and demolition activities contribute to windblown dust problems on
nearby roadways, which can remain in the air for days or even weeks.
 The diesel engine exhausts of diesel generators, vehicles, and heavy equipment are a
major source of PM 2.5 on construction sites.
 Oils, glues, thinners, paints, treated woods, plastics, cleaners, and other hazardous
chemicals commonly used on construction sites contribute to air pollution.
Transportation
 The use of private vehicles is the primary source of urban air pollution (particularly
older, diesel models).
 Vehicles account for roughly one-quarter of all particulate matter in the atmosphere.
 Traffic congestion is caused by a variety of factors, including an increase in the
number of vehicles per kilometre of available road, a lack of intra-city divided-lane
highways and intra-city expressway networks, a lack of inter-city expressways, traffic
accidents, and chaos caused by poor traffic law enforcement.
 Congestion reduces the average speed of traffic. Scientific studies show that at low
speeds, vehicles burn fuel inefficiently and pollute more per trip.
Generation of Electricity
 As the population grows, so does the energy demand.
 To meet that demand, fossil fuels are being used extensively to generate energy
because they are cheap and readily available.
 Coal-fired power plants are a significant source of urban air pollution.
Agriculture and Combustion
 Material combustion is an activity that emits toxic gases into the atmosphere and
contributes to urban air pollution.
 Incomplete combustion emits CO2 and complete combustion emits CO. These two
gases contribute to urban air pollution.
 Agriculture also emits other gases into the atmosphere, such as NO2 and methane
(CH4).

Stubble Burning
 The thick blanket of smog that blankets Delhi during the winter is blamed on stubble burning in
Punjab, Rajasthan, and Haryana.
 It emits a large amount of toxic pollutants into the atmosphere, including carcinogenic gases like
methane (CH4), carbon monoxide (CO), volatile organic compounds (VOC), and polycyclic aromatic
 hydrocarbons.

Exploding Fireworks
 Despite the cracker ban, firecrackers were everywhere during Diwali.
 It may not be the primary cause of air pollution, but it certainly contributes to its
accumulation.
 The court's decision prohibited the sale and manufacture of firecrackers in Delhi-
NCR and regulated their use throughout the country.
 Fireworks containing barium were specifically prohibited.
 The sale of firecrackers online is now completely prohibited.
 The decision came in response to a petition seeking a nationwide ban on the
manufacture and sale of firecrackers in order to reduce air pollution

 Indoor Pollution- Household cleaning products and painting supplies release

hazardous chemicals into the air, polluting the environment.
 Natural Factors- Certain natural occurrences, such as volcanoes, forest fires, and
dust storms, are caused by nature and pollute the air.
Major Air Pollutants Ai
Carbon monoxide
 It is a colorless, odorless gas created by incomplete combustion of carbon-based fuels
such as gasoline, diesel, and wood, as well as the combustion of natural and manmade
items like cigarettes.
 It reduces the amount of oxygen in our bloodstream.
 It can make us confused and tired by slowing our reflexes and making us disoriented.
Carbon dioxide (CO2)
 It is the primary greenhouse gas emitted as a result of human activities such as coal,
oil, and natural gas combustion.
 Volcanoes, hot springs, and geysers are natural sources of CO2, and it is liberated
from carbonate rocks by dissolving in water and acids.
 CO2 is a suffocating gas (asphyxia: a condition arising when the body is deprived of
oxygen, causing unconsciousness or death.).
 Even in the presence of sufficient oxygen, concentrations of 7% can produce
asphyxia, which manifests as dizziness, headache, and unconsciousness.
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC)
 These are gasses that are primarily released by air-conditioning systems and
refrigeration.
 When released into the air, CFCs rise to the stratosphere, where they interact with a
few other gasses, reducing the ozone layer that protects the earth from the sun's
harmful ultraviolet rays.
Lead
 Lead can be found in gasoline, diesel, lead batteries, paints, and hair dyes, among
other things.
 Children are particularly vulnerable to lead poisoning.
 It can harm the nervous system, create digestive problems, and even cause cancer in
some situations.
Ozone
 Ozone is a pollutant that occurs naturally in the higher layers of the atmosphere and
protects the planet from the sun's harmful UV rays.
 However, it is a pollutant with very toxic effects at ground level.
 Ground-level ozone emissions are mostly caused by vehicles and industry.
 Ozone irritates, burns, and makes our eyes wet. It weakens our immune system,
making us more susceptible to colds and pneumonia.
Nitrogen Oxide
 Smog and acid rain are caused by nitrogen oxide (NOx).
 It is produced from burning fuels including petrol, diesel, and coal.
 Nitrogen oxide can make children susceptible to respiratory diseases in winters.
Suspended particulate matter (SPM)
Suspended particulate matter (SPM)
 Suspended particulate matter (SPM) is a type of matter that occurs when solids in the
air, such as smoke, dust, and vapor, are suspended for long periods of time.
 When inhaled, the finer particles can lodge in our lungs, causing lung damage and
respiratory issues.
Sulphur dioxide (SO2)
Sulphur dioxide (SO2)
 It is a gas produced mostly in thermal power plants when coal is burned.
 Sulphur dioxide is produced by some industrial operations, such as paper manufacture
and metal smelting.
 It contributes significantly to smog and acid rain. Sulfur dioxide can cause lung
problems.
Smog
Smog
 Smog is a type of air pollution that makes it difficult to see. Smog means smoke and
fog that refers to smoky fog due to its opacity and odor.
 It was coined in the early twentieth century.
 The term was originally intended to relate to pea soup fog, which was a common and
major phenomenon in London from the 19th century to the mid-20th century.
 Nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, ozone, smoke, and other particles make up this type of
visual air pollution.
 Coal combustion emissions, automotive emissions, industrial emissions, forest and
agricultural fires, and photochemical reactions of these emissions all contribute to
man-made events.
 The reaction of pollutants from automobiles, factories, and industries with sunlight
and the environment causes smog.
Effects of Smog
 It reduces visibility and has a negative impact on the environment.
  Smog causes a decline in natural vitamin D production, which leads to an increase in
rickets instances.
 Smog reduces UV radiation significantly.
 Other health issues like lung issues, bronchial disease-related deaths are also effects of
smog.
.

Fly Ash
 Fly ash is a thin grey powder made up primarily of spherical, glassy particles that is a
byproduct of coal-fired power plants.
 The particulate substance produced by the combustion of coal in thermal power plants
is known as fly ash.
 Particles of fly ash (a key component of coal ash) can become trapped in the deepest
region of your lungs, triggering asthma, inflammation, and immune reactions.
 Significant levels of silicon dioxide (SiO2), aluminum oxide (Al2O3), ferric oxide
(Fe2O3), and calcium oxide are found in fly ash (CaO).
 It's employed in a variety of goods, including concrete and cement, road base, metal
recovery, and mineral filler.
Fly ash - Effects
 When coal is burned, it produces fly ash. Fly ash, which contains harmful compounds
such as arsenic, barium, cadmium, nickel, and lead, is mostly produced by coal-fired
power stations.
 These are known to cause cancer, lung and heart disease, as well as neurological
damage and early death.
Effects of Air pollution
Effects of Air pollution
Health issues
 The consequences of air pollution have a direct effect on human health. SO2 is the
most serious and widespread air pollutant. on induces increased mucus production. It
is also considered to cause cough, shortness of breath, spasm of the larynx and acute
irritation to the membranes of the eyes. It also acts as an allergenic agent. When it
reacts with some compounds, sulfuric acid is formed which may damage lungs. CO
often affects the oxygen carrying capacity of blood. Nitric oxide is reported to be a
pulmonary irritant and its excess concentration may cause pulmonary hemorrhage.
Nitrogen oxides especially NO2 can irritate the lungs, aggravate asthma or chronic
bronchitis and also increase susceptibility to respiratory infections such as influenza
 or common colds. Lead emitted from automobile exhausts is a cumulative poison and
is dangerous particularly to children and may cause brain damage
 They have been linked to a variety of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases,
including asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, heart attacks, and strokes, as well
as cancer. Several million people are thought to have died as a result of air pollution,
either directly or indirectly.
 Premature delivery, autism, asthma, and spectrum disorder in early childhood are all
caused by exposure to high amounts of air pollution during pregnancy.
 It also has the potential to harm a child's early brain development and cause
pneumonia, which kills almost a million children under the age of five.
 In locations where air pollution is present, children are more likely to develop short-
term respiratory infections and pulmonary illnesses.
Global Warming
 Another direct result of global warming is the current changes that the planet is
experiencing.
 Increased global temperatures, rising sea levels due to melting ice from colder places
and icebergs, relocation, and habitat loss have already foreshadowed an oncoming
crisis if preservation and normalization measures are not done quickly.
Acid Rain
 When fossil fuels are burned, harmful chemicals such as nitrogen oxides and sulfur
oxides are emitted into the environment.
 When it rains, the water droplets react with the contaminants in the air, becoming
acidic and falling to the earth as acid rain.
 Acid rain has the potential to harm humans, animals, and agriculture.
Eutrophication
 Eutrophication is a phenomenon in which a large amount of nitrogen found in some
pollutants accumulates on the sea surface and transforms into algae, causing harm to
fish, plants, and animals.
 The outlet of this chemical from industries into the air is also responsible for the
prevalence of green-colored algae in lakes and ponds.
Ozone Layer depletion
 Ozone is found in the stratosphere of the Earth and protects humans from harmful
ultraviolet (UV) rays.
 The presence of chlorofluorocarbons and hydro chlorofluorocarbons in the
atmosphere is degrading the ozone layer on Earth.
 As the ozone layer thins, damaging rays are emitted back to Earth, potentially causing
skin and eye problems. UV rays have the power to harm crops as well.
Effects of Air Pollution
.
Impact on Agriculture/Vegetation
 High pollution levels change the microstructure of clouds as well as their shape, size,
and depth.
 Pollutants settle on crops and fruits, causing the pollutants to leach into the fruits.
 The photosynthesis process is slowed.
 Sulphur dioxide causes chlorosis, plasmolysis, membrane damage, and metabolic
inhibition.
 Premature leaf fall, fruit drop, floral bud shedding, petals curling, and sepal
discoloration are all caused by hydrocarbons like ethylene.
 Ozone degrades chlorenchyma, destroying the foliage of many plants.
Acid Rain
 Acid rain occurs when rain falls through polluted air and picks up some of the
pollution, causing it to become more acidic.
 Rain becomes a weak acid due to air pollution. When pollutants
like NOx and SOx combine with rainfall, they produce acidic rain with a PH less
than 4.0.
 Acid rain gradually acidifies the entire body of water when it accumulates in lakes or
rivers.
 Fish can only thrive in neutral or slightly acidic water (typically with a pH of 6.5–
7.0).
 Fish begin to die as soon as the acidity falls below about pH 6.0, and all fish die if the
pH falls to about 4.0 or less.
 It also destroys forests, reduces soil fertility, and causes structural damage by eating
away stonework.
Effect on Wildlife
 Air pollution also has a negative impact on animals.
 Toxic chemicals in the air can force wildlife species to relocate and change their
habitat.
 Toxic pollutants settle on the water's surface and can harm sea creatures.
On materials-
Air pollutants produce physical and chemical change in materials which results in their
damage and destruction. The natural effects of corrosion and weathering are aggravated when
the air is polluted. The most destructive air pollutants to materials are smoke, grit, dust and
oxides of sulphur. SO2 changes to sulfurous and sulphuric acid with moisture and accelerates
the rate of corrosion. Different types of metals and metallic structures Building materials are
also corroded and disfigured with increasing pollution of air. In 1972, when an oil refinery at
Mathura was opened, its impact on Taj Mahal became a major issue. Smoke, grit and soot
deposits disfigure the buildings.
Pollutants - Measuring Standards
Pollutants - Measuring Standards
 Air quality is measured using air quality indicators like the “ Air Quality Index”. PM
2.5 and PM 10 are the most often used air quality indicators.
 The particles are measured in micrograms per cubic meter.
 PM 2.5 denotes the concentration of microscopic particles with a diameter of fewer
than 2.5 microns, while PM 10 denotes the concentration of particles with a diameter
of less than 10 microns.
 India also monitors two more pollutants: lead and ammonia.
 A number of less than 50 on the AQI scale is deemed safe.
 Instruments used to measure Air quality are PCE-RCM 05, PCE-HFX 100, PCE-
RCM 8
 The majority of the particles are generated as a result of complex chemical processes
involving sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. Automobiles, factories, power plants,
and other sources emit these pollutants.
Air Quality Index(AQI)
Air Quality Index(AQI)
 The AQI will show variations in air pollution levels in the atmosphere.
 Our atmosphere is mostly made up of two crucial gasses: oxygen and nitrogen, both
of which are essential for life on Earth.
 The AQI monitors eight primary air contaminants in the atmosphere, including
Particulate Matter (PM10), Particulate Matter (PM2.5), Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2),
Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), Carbon Monoxide (CO), Ozone (O3), Ammonia (NH3) and
Lead (Pb).
 In 2014, the National Air Quality Index was established to assess air quality in six
categories,
 This Air Quality Index was created in collaboration with IIT-Kanpur and air quality
professionals and experts by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

Air Quality Index Remark

0-50 Good

51-100 Satisfactory
101-200 Moderate

201-300 Poor

301-400 Very Poor

401-500 Severe

1.6 Control of Air Pollution

What are the reasons for the rise in air pollution in Delhi?
1. Stubble Burning- Stubble burning in Punjab, Rajasthan, and Haryana emits large amounts
of toxic pollutants in the atmosphere. These pollutants contain harmful gases like methane
(CH4), carbon monoxide (CO), volatile organic compounds (VOC) and carcinogenic
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The IIT consortium report (IIT Kanpur, IIT Delhi, TERI,
and Airshed, Kanpur) have estimated that stubble burning contributed up to 35% of Delhi’s
PM 2.5 levels during the peak October-November season.
2. Reduced Wind Speed- Low-speed winds in winters are unable to disperse these pollutants
effectively. Further, Delhi lies in a landlocked region and does not have the geographical
advantage of sea breeze to disperse the suspended pollutants.
3. Effect of Northwesterly winds- After the withdrawal of monsoons, the predominant
direction of winds in northern India is northwesterly. These northwesterly winds bring
the dust from the gulf region, northern Pakistan and Afghanistan.
4. Dip in Temperatures lowers the inversion height- With the decrease in
temperature, inversion height lowers down, leading to concentration of pollutants in the lower
atmosphere. (Inversion height is the layer beyond which pollutants cannot disperse into the
upper layer of the atmosphere).

5. Vehicular Pollution- Delhi has one of the highest number of registered private vehicles in
India. Official emissions inventories of 2018 show that vehicles emit about 40 per cent of the
particulate load in the city of Delhi.
6. Construction Activities and Open Waste Burning- Pollution due to landfill burning and
construction debris enhances the pollution levels in the Delhi NCR region.
7. Firecrackers- Firecrackers burning during Diwali further adds to the increase in air
pollution levels.
8. Urban development strategy in India- The current strategy focuses on real estate
development, a widening of roads and allowing large fuel guzzling vehicles which are major
reasons for increased pollution.
9. Expansion of ‘Grey’ infrastructure- Water bodies, urban forests, green cover, and urban
agriculture have all reported shrinkage, and “grey” infrastructure has seen rapid expansion.
10. Land use change- The handing over of open spaces to real estate developers and lack of
any meaningful afforestation affects the city’s ecology.
11. Promotion of car sales- Widening roads induces people to buy more cars, thus leading to
more pollution levels.
12. Construction activities- It contributes roughly 10% of air pollution in Delhi-NCR. There
are hardly any steps being taken to monitor construction activities.
What Govt initiatives have been taken to reduce air pollution in Delhi?
(1) Crop Residue Management Scheme- Crop Residue Management (CRM) scheme which
provides subsidy to farmers for buying ‘Turbo Happy Seeder‘, ‘Super SMS attachment’,
‘rotavators‘ and ‘superseeder’.
(2) Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM)- CAQM is a statutory body formed
under the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and
Adjoining Areas, Act 2021. CAQM has provided a framework to tackle the problem of air
pollution due to stubble burning.
(3) Initiatives to reduce Vehicular Pollution- The shift from BS-IV to BS-VI, push
for Electric Vehicles (EVs), Odd-even Policy have all been implemented to reduce Vehicular
pollution.
(4) Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP)- GRAP measures like shutting down thermal
power plants and a ban on construction activities are implemented to curb air pollution.

What should be the way ahead?

A start has been made to recognise the severity of air pollution on the health of the population
and the economy. Delhi and Mumbai are the two financial backbones of our country. The
following measures need to be undertaken to curb air pollution in Delhi and Mumbai-
(1) Increase the AQI monitoring stations- The adequate numbers of AQI monitoring
stations as mandated by the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) must be installed.
Also, sensor based AQI monitoring units that give hyperlocal data must be set up.
(2) Enhanced powers to the authorities to take action according to the hyperlocal
data- It will help the authorities take pre-emptive actions and allow denser monitoring. For
example, if it is found that construction is taking place in a certain pocket without following
norms, the authorities can identify the location and immediately penalise the violators.
(3) National Nodal Authority for Air pollution- India needs a nodal authority with
constitutional powers to ensure collaborative pre-emptive action on air pollution with
timelines for all stakeholders.
(4) Setting up Independent commissions for management of AQI- Independent
commissions like the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) for NCR and
adjoining regions, should be set up in other major cities like Mumbai and Chennai. It will
help in taking actions against the violators irrespective of the geographical region. Regional
or airshed approach must be used to counter the geographical challenge to air pollution
management as done in Los Angeles, Mexico City and many mega-urban regions in China.

(5) Stricter guidelines for industrial emmissions- SEBI’s Business Responsibility and
Sustainability Report (BRSR) framework can lay down tighter guidelines to ensure
uniformity in the unit of reporting pollutant emissions, declaration of air pollution mitigation
targets (like companies do for carbon emissions), and reporting of disaggregated emissions
data. We must reduce exposure across the value chain from production to consumption to
recycling of goods and delivery of services.
(6) Making ‘Clean air’ an investment sector- The push for substitution of fossil fuels will
increase investment opportunities in clean energy transition sector like green mobility, clean
cooking. This will open up a new sector for investment and will help in reducing the air
pollution simultaneously.
(7) Funds and Manpower Training to combat pollution- The Sixteenth Finance
commission should provide finance to urban local bodies for climate change and air pollution
reduction interventions. The urban local bodies manpower must be properly trained and the
dysfunctional State pollution Control Boards must be empowered to take punitive actions.
(8) Increased awareness and incentive for civil society- Different stakeholders need to
know why cleaning the air will benefit their livelihoods and businesses. For instance, farmers
will not curb stubble burning until a viable circular economy for alternative uses of biomass
emerges. We must adopt sustainable lifestyles which are in line with government’s LiFE
initiative.
(9) Increased use of Public transport and reduced dependence on private vehicles- The
Delhi Master Plan target of 80 per cent of motorised trips by public transport by 2020 has not
been met yet. The deadline has been shifted to 2041. This deadline needs to be met by
augmenting the public transport system. The private vehicles use must be disincentivised by
introducing ward-wise parking management area plans and parking tax.
(10) Limit crop residue burning- We must implement known solutions like shifting to less
water-intensive crops, altering irrigation arrangements, timing, harvesting, baling practices
and building a wider year-round market for straw.
(11) End-to-end construction and waste management– It is pivotal to reducing tonnes of
dust and waste released in the air and water bodies.
(12) Learnings from London, China, Singapore, Hong Kong must be
incorporated- London does not allow private vehicles in areas well-connected by public
transport. China uses ‘fixed number of car sales per year‘ in Beijing. We must improve the
public transport like London, China, Singapore and Hong-Kong.
(13) Exploring the option of Cloud seeding- Cloud seeding must be explored as an option
for temporary relief during spiked AQI levels. However, it should be undertaken after a
detailed and deliberated discussion with experts.

INDIAN INITIATIVES TO CURB IT

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1983680

ndian 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.