{"id":20101531,"date":"2022-11-03T12:30:00","date_gmt":"2022-11-03T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thethirdpole.net\/?p=101531"},"modified":"2022-11-14T11:51:11","modified_gmt":"2022-11-14T06:21:11","slug":"how-airshed-management-could-tackle-indias-air-pollution-crisis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/pollution\/how-airshed-management-could-tackle-indias-air-pollution-crisis\/","title":{"rendered":"How \u2018airshed management\u2019 could tackle India\u2019s air pollution crisis"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In 2019, air pollution in India caused the premature deaths of more than a million people<\/a><\/a><\/a>. That same year, the government established the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP). Three years later, the NCAP is widely described<\/a> as ineffective, and India continues to rank among the top five most<\/a><\/a> polluted countries in the world. Now, scientists are looking to a different approach to tackling the country\u2019s toxic air, one based on the recognition that pollution transcends national and state borders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The NCAP was formulated to tackle air pollution in cities, specifically to reduce particulate matter<\/a> (PM2.5) pollution by 20%-30% from 2017 levels by 2024. But the nature of air pollution means there are limitations to a policy that focuses on urban areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why is PM2.5 so harmful?<\/span>
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PM2.5 refers to tiny inhalable particles \u2013 particulate matter \u2013 with a diameter of 2.5 micrometres.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These particles are a mixture of solid and aerosol chemicals, mostly produced by burning fuels such as petrol, diesel, oil or wood. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

PM2.5 pollutants are much smaller than the diameter of a human hair. Because these particles are so small, they can penetrate the lungs deeply, causing harm to people\u2019s health<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAir pollution is not restricted to geopolitical boundaries,\u201d points out SN Tripathi, professor of civil engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur and a member of the NCAP steering committee. South Asia\u2019s geography and weather patterns mean that pollutants can travel long distances: a <\/a>2020 <\/a>study<\/a> of 22 regions showed that 46% of air pollution (adjusted for population distribution) originates from another Indian state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBecause of the transboundary dispersion of air pollution, smaller towns that don\u2019t have as many polluting industries experience high levels of pollution that come from larger cities,\u201d says Kalyani Tembhe, programme officer at the Centre for Science and Environment, a think-tank in New Delhi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAir pollution<\/a> depends on meteorology, topography and land-use patterns,\u201d Tripathi agrees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Because of this, Indian states are looking at new ways to tackle the crisis, with many planning to adopt airshed management. The World Bank defines an airshed as a common geographic area<\/a> where pollutants get trapped, creating similar air quality for everyone. \u201cWe can reorganise\u2026 natural processes that govern the air, and identify airsheds,\u201d Tripathi says.<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The concept is demonstrated by a 2019 study<\/a> that found approximately half of the population-weighted PM2.5 in Delhi comes from outside the territory, of which 50% is from Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. In Punjab, about 60% of PM2.5 does not originate within the state, with about half coming from outside India and half from other Indian states. In Uttar Pradesh, only half of PM2.5 originates within the state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n