India’s National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) was launched as a landmark policy, aiming to curb hazardous air pollution across 131 cities. But fresh findings from a parliamentary report reveal a worrying reality: only 1 in 5 cities have met their clean air targets, while most urban regions continue to breathe unhealthy air that far exceeds World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. The Hindu
Why Is NCAP Missing Its Targets?
Despite national mandates and billions in investments, widespread air quality improvements remain elusive for three main reasons:
1. Ineffective Policy Execution at City Level
Local implementation of pollution control measures is sluggish. Cities struggle to:
Timely roll out emission-reduction plans
Enforce bans on garbage burning and outdated vehicles
Strictly regulate construction dust, industrial emissions, and traffic bottlenecks
2. Weak Pollution Controls
The lack of robust monitoring, inspection, and enforcement has allowed polluted industries, road dust, and biomass burning to persist.
3. Urban Sprawl Outpaces Solutions
Urbanization brings more vehicles, unplanned construction, and rising energy usage—sources that current policies can’t keep pace with.
Key Facts from the Latest Parliamentary Report
| Indicator | Status (2025) |
|---|---|
| Cities Meeting NCAP PM Targets | Only 1 in 5 |
| PM 2.5 & PM 10 Trend (Past 5 Years) | Minimal overall decline |
| Cities Meeting WHO Air Quality Guidelines | Very few |
| Most Cited Barrier | Slow, ineffective implementation and controls |
Note: PM 2.5 refers to fine particulate matter—among the most harmful pollutants for health.
What Are the Real-World Impacts?
Public Health Threat: Millions face increased risk of asthma, heart disease, cancer, and premature death.
Economic Costs: Lost productivity, rising healthcare expenses, and challenges attracting global investment.
Quality of Life: Urban residents remark on worsening visibility, discomfort, and chronic health issues.
What Needs Urgent Fixing?
Accountability: Hold local governments and agencies directly responsible for hitting clear clean air milestones.
Transparency: Real-time public dashboards showing city progress, pollutant trends, and funding use.
Faster Execution: Cut red tape to deploy proven interventions (EV incentives, dust control tech, enforcement officers).
Strengthen Enforcement: Rigorous penalties for non-compliance by industries, waste burners, and construction.
Community Involvement: Empower citizen science, schools, and RWAs to monitor air, flag violations, and drive change.
What Cities Can Do Differently
| Weak Step | Strong Alternative |
|---|---|
| Sporadic checks | Continuous emissions monitoring |
| Limited street sweeping | Mechanized, daily dust management |
| Blanket restrictions | Targeted, hotspot-based interventions |
| Bureaucratic silos | Cross-department crisis response |
Conclusion
India’s air pollution crisis is not a lack of ambition, but a gap in leadership and accountability at the city level. For millions to breathe cleaner air, urgent, transparent, and strictly enforced measures are needed in every urban center—transforming plans from paper to palpable change.
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