Relevance: GS-3: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment

Key Phrases: MC Mehta case, metro revolution,Central Pollution Control , CNG-isation, BSVI standards,tax incentives, green cess,National Clean Air Programme,LiDAR, SAFAR, GreenCo Rating System

Why in News?

• Recently, the Delhi government ordered the de-registration of diesel-powered vehicles which are 10 years or older, with effect from January 1, 2022.

Historical Background of India’s fighting against Air Pollution

• It began with a PIL filed by MC Mehta in the Supreme Court of India: A landmark case in the annals of green jurisprudence in India.
• It was that PIL which first forced the judiciary to step in and fill the gap in environmental pollution control action caused by executive inaction and indifference.
• It was that case which also fundamentally changed the face of public transport in India. The SC order which forced the conversion of all public transport vehicles, including buses, taxis and autos plying in Delhi, to convert to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG): Then considered a much ‘cleaner’ fuel:  Caused a dramatic improvement in Delhi’s air quality which lasted for nearly a decade.
• Judgment enlightened the executive, and paved the way for the ‘metro revolution’ which swept India’s mega cities transforming mass rapid transit along with the real estate sector and development of many satellite towns.

Issues

1. Absolute ban perpetuates some fundamental policy distortions. The biggest, of course, is the continuing demonisation of diesel-powered internal combustion engines.
2. While by and large, petrol engines are cleaner than diesel engines, there are lots of ifs and buts. Modern diesels with high efficiency particulate filters are actually cleaner than many petrol engines.
3. Moreover two-wheeler petrol engines, on a cubic capacity basis, can be more polluting than cars, particularly for older vehicles.
4. More than one crore vehicles registered in Delhi, for instance, over 70 per cent are two-wheelers, which have not been considered in any of the pollution-control measures undertaken so far.
5. Diesel’s prevalence in India’s automobile sector is itself the result of another policy distortion — the earlier fuel subsidy regime, where diesel was considerably cheaper than petrol because it was used in agriculture to power pumps and tractors.
6. The result was a proliferation of diesel engines for even tiny vehicles like three-wheelers, and of course, cars.
7. Overemphasis on the CNG-isation of Delhi’s transport fleet led to substantial increase in NOX emission, while cutting back particulate emissions. But NOX is a greenhouse gas and just as harmful to health as fine particulates.
8. Although, vehicle age will determine the level of technology present in a vehicle but does not always guarantee better outcomes from an environmental point of view. A well-maintained diesel vehicle which is a decade old can be far less polluting than an abused and ill-maintained one

Solution

1. The Union Transport Ministry has been solving one end of the equation by imposing tighter emission standards for vehicle manufacturers and higher standards for fuel — India now operates on BSVI standards for fuel, among the most stringent in the world.
2. Government must push strongly for EVs, with some tax incentives on offer.
3. Proper implementation of the existing ‘green cess’ on registration charges, meant to create a corpus for pollution control measures.

Initiatives by the Government

1. National Clean Air Programme
2. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), it is the apex organisation in the country in the field of pollution control.
3. LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging): Being used to vertically monitor the air quality of Delhi-NCR.
4. Climate & Clean Air Coalition
5. National Air Quality Index (AQI)
6. Centre-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR).
7. GreenCo Rating System : GreenCo Rating system has been acknowledged in India’s Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) document. It is used as a proactive voluntary action of the private sector towards combating climate change. It is developed by CII.

Way Forward

• While all efforts together, address the flow problem — reducing the number of more polluting vehicles entering the market. But the stock problem — of existing vehicles — can be only addressed by implementing the existing emission standards and ensuring that polluting vehicles are taken off the road.
• Older vehicles need to pass fitness tests and emission standards. If they meet both, why take them off the road, which is a waste of planetary resources?
• India’s urban pollution problem ( 13 of the world’s top 15 polluted cities are in India) needs a 360 degree approach and coordination between the Centre and States. Tilting at random windmills won’t help.
• Implement WHO's 4 Pillar Strategy in policy making . These four pillars are:
  • Expanding the knowledge base
  • Monitoring and reporting
  • Global leadership and coordination
  • Institutional capacity strengthening
• Strict implementation of Polluter Pay Principle.

Mains Question:

Q. India’s air pollution control measures started on a good note, but now seems to have lost steam. Identify various issues faced in effective implementation of air pollution control measures in the country. How can the newly created Commission on Air Quality Management can help in overcoming the problem of air pollution and can ensure the effectiveness of measures taken? ( 15 marks)

Source: The Hindu BL