Reimagining India’s Air Quality Management - Towards Scientific Atmanirbharta

Context:

• By showcasing India's accomplishments in space technology, the Moon Mission, COVID-19 vaccines, and Vande Bharat trains, the Made in India campaign raised both national morale and technological prowess.
• Despite these advancements, India lags in combating air pollution - a critical environmental and public health challenge, showcasing the dual face of India’s progress.

Air Pollution - A Persistent and Complex Challenge:

• Global rankings and foreign influence:
  • Indian cities frequently rank among the world’s most polluted, according to various studies.
  • It raises the issues of data dependence, climate justice, and unequal climate sanctions on developing nations.
• Underutilisation of domestic resources:
  • Pollution Control Boards often return unspent funds.
  • Disproportionate allocation of resources to elite institutions and foreign-aligned collaborations.

Domestic Research and Institutional Gaps:

• Innovation and missed opportunities:
  • Positive steps: Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), which signals the government’s commitment to strengthening research and innovation with industrial contribution.
  • However, the question is: Why are developed countries, with no direct stake in India’s air quality, so keen on studying it? Why are Indian institutes not leading such research?
• Dependence on foreign data:
  • Shutdown of climate research in the US under the Trump administration highlighted risks of relying on foreign datasets.
  • India’s need: Indigenous polar-orbiting satellites for global data to support local modelling.

India’s Legacy in Air Quality Monitoring:

• Notable initiatives:
  • 1984: National Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Programme (NAAQMP).
  • 2010: India developed its first indigenous air quality forecasting system - SAFAR (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research), despite foreign resistance.
  • Delhi’s CNG transition: A landmark policy decision for cleaner urban transport.
  • EV transition: Some Indian states (Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu) are now taking commendable steps towards rapid EV transition.
• Present limitations:
  • SAFAR remains limited to only four cities.
  • Fragmented air quality efforts and lack of coordination among key agencies.

The Way Forward - Building an Integrated Framework:

• Institutional collaboration and scientific strategy:
  • For example, India's world-class agencies like the - Earth System Science Organisation (ESSO) and India Meteorological Department (IMD) - Could collaborate with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) for setting a global benchmark in air quality management and forecasting.
• NARFI - Encouraging collaborative governance: A new model under study - National Air Quality Resource Framework of India (NARFI), must be designed to act as a catalyst for
  • Inter-organisational collaboration,
  • Interdisciplinary research and
  • Evidence-based decision-making.
• Promoting airshed-level pollution management:
  • Airshed management enables region-specific pollution control by considering cross-boundary air flow patterns, enhancing the effectiveness of policy interventions.
  • According to the National Institute of Advanced Studies, rethinking air quality strategies by scientifically integrating broader airshed factors (rather than adopting city-centric approaches) is the need of the hour. 
• Health-centric and food security approach: Future air quality strategies must align with net-zero goals, public health, and agricultural resilience.

Conclusion - Toward Real Atmanirbharta in Air Quality:

• True self-reliance requires leveraging India’s scientific talent, decentralising research and funding, developing indigenous data infrastructure, and creating a unified, science-based knowledge hub.
• India's air quality mission must reflect the same ambition as Make in India - with climate resilience, public health, and national innovation at its core.

Q1. What are the key challenges India faces in tackling air pollution despite its technological advancements?

Ans. India faces a lack of integrated frameworks, underutilisation of funds, overdependence on foreign data, and limited institutional coordination in addressing air pollution.

Q2. Explain the significance of SAFAR in India's air quality monitoring efforts.

Ans. SAFAR (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research) is India’s first indigenous forecasting system launched in 2010, marking a scientific milestone despite limited implementation across cities.

Q3. What is the role of the Anusandhan National Research Foundation in air quality management?

Ans. The Foundation aims to bridge gaps between industry and research institutions, promoting indigenous innovation in science and environmental management.

Q4. How does the concept of 'airshed management' contribute to pollution control strategies?

Ans. Airshed management enables region-specific pollution control by considering cross-boundary air flow patterns, enhancing the effectiveness of policy interventions.

Q5. What is the objective of the National Air Quality Resource Framework of India (NARFI)?

Ans. NARFI seeks to integrate scientific data, interdisciplinary research, and institutional collaboration to support evidence-based policymaking and reduce air pollution.

Source:IE