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.