How robust are urban India's clean air plans

Abstract

Ambient air pollution led to over four million premature deaths globally in the year 2016. In response, the Indian government launched its National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) in 2019, which, among other things, directed various state pollution control boards (SPCBs) to prepare clean air plans for 102 cities experiencing severe air pollution. This study examines the 102 city action plans that were created in response to the government’s orders. We find that the plans lack several necessary components such as legal mandates, accountability mechanisms, and source-based information. Only 25 plans contain source information, and fewer still provide details on interim targets and source-specific reduction goals. We also find that the nine plans that provide budget details have requested only a fraction of the funds that are likely to be needed for successful implementation of the plans. Our study iterates the key components that should be included in a clean action plan, and provides recommendations for strengthening India’s clean air action planning process to deliver improved air quality in its cities. – AI-generated abstract.