Towards Long-Term Clean-Air Strategy

• 20 Nov 2025

Source: TH

Why in News? 

The Supreme Court India told the Centre that enforcing a perennial Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP)  across the year is not practical for the National Capital Region (NCR) air pollution and stressed the need for a long-term pollution strategy.

• At the same time, China’s offer to sahare its urban pollution control experience has renewed the discussion on lessons India could adopt from international best practices.

How Effective is GRAP in Tackling Delhi’s Air Pollution Crisis?

Short-Term Effectiveness

• GRAP offers a structured, graded system of interventions when Air Quality Index (AQI) breaches specific thresholds. This helps authorities react quickly when pollution spikes.
• Restrictions on construction, traffic, truck entry, and industrial activity temporarily lower particulate emissions during severe pollution episodes.
• By reducing physical classes, outdoor work, and vehicle movement during hazardous AQI levels, GRAP offers temporary relief to vulnerable groups.
  

Long-Term Limitations

• GRAP is reactive and episodic; it only activates after pollution crosses set limits, not before. 
  • It does not comprehensively prevent long-term sources like stubble burning, vehicular growth, or construction dust.
• Frequent bans on construction, restrictions on transport, and shutdowns disproportionately affect daily-wage earners, migrant labourers and small businesses, making perennial enforcement impractical.
• Pollution arriving from Punjab-Haryana stubble burning, dust storms, and neighbouring industrial belts cannot be solved by Delhi-centric restrictions.
• Once GRAP restrictions are lifted, pollution levels tend to rebound quickly because systemic reforms in transport, waste, agriculture, and industry remain incomplete.

Supreme Court’s Stance on Enforcing GRAP

• Rejection of  Year-round GRAP: SC noted that a permanent GRAP would impose harsh restrictions that harm daily wagers, migrant workers, and construction labourers.
  • It reiterated that short-term, reactive measures do not address the long-term structural causes of air pollution.
• SC Directions:  The court directed the government to bring all key stakeholders (the Centre, States, farmers, and urban bodies) together to frame a long-term pollution strategy. 
  • It urged authorities to avoid knee-jerk actions that fail to address the structural causes of pollution and instead focus on gradual, sustainable measures that improve air quality without harming livelihoods.

Click here to Read: Main Causes of Air Pollution in Delhi During Winters

How did China Deal with its ‘Airpocalypse’?

• Airpocalypse in China: Rapid industrialisation with economic liberalisation in 1978 caused a sharp rise in emissions. By the 2000s, major cities were covered in thick smog, with PM2.5 emerging as the key pollutant.
  • Public health worries, global scrutiny during the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and growing citizen pressure pushed the government to act, leading to major reforms that helped almost 80% of China see improved air quality since 2013.
  • Experts say India today resembles China’s situation from the late 2000s.
• Steps Taken by China to Tackle Air Pollution:
  
  • Strong Political Focus: Air quality was highlighted as a key concern in China’s 11th Five-Year Plan (2006–10).
  • Cadre Evaluation System: Promotions of governors and mayors were tied to meeting pollution targets, creating strong accountability.
  • Shutting Outdated Factories: Old and highly polluting units such as power plants, smelters, and paper mills were closed.
  • Industrial Investment: China pushed for large-scale investment in pollution control equipment across industries.
  • Push for Electric Mobility: Shenzhen electrified most of the buses by 2017, setting the pace for other major cities to expand electric mobility.
    • Alongside this, China tightened vehicle emission norms, introduced strict controls on coal boilers, and shifted to cleaner residential heating systems, all of which helped cut urban pollution. 

How is India’s Approach in Tackling Air Pollution Different from China’s?

• Trigger-based vs Continuous Action: India activates GRAP measures only after pollution spikes, while China works through steady, year-round enforcement.
• Regional vs Nationwide Coverage: India’s GRAP is NCR-focused, whereas China implements reforms across the entire country.
• Biomass Dependence vs Cleaner Fuels: Household biomass burning remains a major pollution source in India, unlike China, which had already reduced such emissions before major reforms.
• Federal vs Centralised Governance: India’s federal system creates overlapping authorities and slower coordination, with multiple agencies ( Central Pollution Control Board, National Green Tribunal, Commission for Air Quality Management) sometimes delaying or duplicating action, whereas China’s centralised model enables faster, top-down enforcement.
• Growth Trade-offs vs Strong Political Push: Pollution control in India is often seen as competing with economic growth goals, whereas China supported its air-cleaning efforts with strong political will and heavy financial investment.

What Long-term Clean Air Strategies can India Realistically Learn from China?

• Continuous action: Move beyond seasonal, trigger-based responses like GRAP and adopt year-round pollution management.
• Strengthen Accountability: Link air-quality targets to the performance of local and state authorities, similar to China’s cadre evaluation pressure.
• Tighten Industrial Emissions: Enforce stricter norms, modernise outdated units, and push industries to adopt cleaner technologies.
  • Prioritise cleaner mobility in big cities through electric buses, better metro networks, and disincentives for private vehicles.
• Improve Household Energy Access: Reduce biomass burning in rural areas by making clean cooking fuels and electricity more affordable and reliable.
• Strong Monitoring Systems: Use better satellite tracking, real-time sensors, and strict reporting rules to prevent undercounting of emissions.

Conclusion

Delhi’s pollution crisis needs long-term, steady action rather than seasonal curbs like GRAP. India must adapt consistent enforcement, cleaner mobility, and strong accountability to its own needs while protecting livelihoods and ensuring a coordinated, year-round effort.

Drishti Mains Question:

Q. Discuss the measures required to scale up clean mobility in Indian cities and the likely socio-economic impacts.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is GRAP and why is it criticised?

GRAP (Graded Response Action Plan) is a trigger-based set of measures for the NCR activated at high AQI levels; it is criticised for being seasonal and reactive rather than part of a continuous, structural air quality strategy.

2. Why did the Supreme Court reject year-round GRAP?

The Court said a year-round GRAP would impose harsh, prolonged restrictions harming migrant labour, daily wagers and construction workers, and urged a multi-year plan that safeguards livelihoods while reducing pollution.

3. What concrete lessons does China offer for India?

Key lessons include continuous enforcement, strong accountability (linking official performance to air targets), large investments in pollution control, and rapid deployment of electric buses and cleaner heating systems.

UPSC Civil Services Examination Previous Year Question (PYQ)

Prelims

Q. In the cities of our country, which among the following atmospheric gases are normally considered in calculating the value of the Air Quality Index? (2016)

1. Carbon dioxide 
2. Carbon monoxide 
3. Nitrogen dioxide 
4. Sulfur dioxide 
5. Methane 

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1, 2 and 3 only 

(b) 2, 3 and 4 only 

(c) 1, 4 and 5 only 

(d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

Ans: (b)

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Q. Artificial way of causing rainfall to reduce air pollution makes use of

A. silver iodide and potassium iodide

B. silver nitrate and potassium iodide

C. silver iodide and potassium nitrate

D. silver nitrate and potassium chloride

Ans: A

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Mains:

Q. Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata are the three mega cities of the country, but the air pollution is a much more serious problem in Delhi as compared to the other two. Why is this so? (2015)

Q. Describe the key points of the revised Global Air Quality Guidelines (AQGs) recently released by the World Health Organisation (WHO). How are these different from its last update in 2005? What changes in India’s National Clean Air Programme are required to achieve revised standards? (2021)