Context:

Every year in winter, many cities in North India face the problem of smog in their environment. The problem is more severe in November and weather factors like cold temperatures, slow winds and stubble burning worsen the already dangerous situation. To deal with this problem, the government and local administration make a lot of efforts at their level. In this context, China is also a country which itself faced a serious 'airpocalypse' like situation two decades ago, but achieved remarkable progress through strict policies, strong monitoring and accountability based administrative reforms. Recently, in early November, the Chinese Embassy in India offered to share its environmental measures with India to address this problem.

India’s Air Pollution:

India’s pollution challenge is complicated by its own development pattern. Industrial growth, urbanisation, high vehicular density, and widespread biomass burning contribute to extremely poor air quality across the year.

In winter, the situation becomes worse due to:

·        Temperature inversion that prevents pollutants from dispersing.

·        Shifting wind patterns that bring in smoke from stubble burning.

·        Festive firecrackers adding to already toxic air.

·        Construction dust and industrial emissions, which continue through the season

AQI Measurement Problems in India: India’s official AQI, used in platforms like SAFAR and SAMEER, has an upper limit of 500. Anything above 400 is classified as “severe,” and readings beyond 500 are not displayed — even when real pollution levels are much higher.

• • This cap was introduced a decade ago when the National AQI was created. Experts involved in its design admit that:

·        The limit was meant to avoid public panic.

·        The assumption was that health impacts would not differ significantly between 500 and higher levels.

·        As a result, all values above 500 appear the same on government monitors, flattening the data.

• • Meanwhile, global platforms like IQAir or open-source trackers show the actual concentrations, which often exceed 600 and sometimes even 1,000 in Delhi.
  • Government monitors use Beta Attenuation Monitors (BAMs) — precise but expensive machines. Many private platforms rely on sensor-based monitors, which offer real-time data but are less standardized and not formally approved by India’s pollution board.
  • Experts now argue that revising the AQI scale and removing the upper cap is essential, particularly because new research shows that health risks continue to rise well beyond 500.

Health and Economic Burden: 

Major scientific assessments underline the seriousness of India’s situation:

• • • The Lancet Countdown 2025 reported that 1.7 million Indians died in 2022 due to PM2.5 exposure—38% higher than in 2010.
    • Fossil fuels alone caused 44% of these deaths.
    • The economic loss from premature deaths was estimated at $339.4 billion, almost 9.5% of India’s GDP.
    • The Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) shows that pollution shortens the average Indian’s life expectancy by 3.5 years.
    • For Delhi, the loss shoots up to 8.2 years.
    • The Indo-Gangetic Plains—Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab, and Haryana—are among the most polluted regions globally due to geography, industrial clusters, and seasonal agricultural burning.

China’s ‘Airpocalypse’:

• • China’s rapid industrial rise after the late 1970s came with visible environmental costs. By the 2000s, many cities were covered in thick smog, industrial wastewater polluted rivers, and public dissatisfaction grew. The problem intensified before the 2008 Beijing Olympics, when global scrutiny pushed the government to address the issue urgently.
  • Studies show that fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was the most dangerous pollutant. These particles, released from coal use, heavy industry, vehicles, power plants, and crop burning, penetrated deep into the lungs and bloodstream, causing severe health impacts.
  • China’s clean-air transition began around 2013. By some estimates, nearly 80% of its regions saw significant improvements in air quality over the following decade. Several factors drove this progress:

1. 1. 1. Strong Top-Down Accountability: Officials in China are evaluated through a tight performance-monitoring system. Air-quality improvement was added as a key criterion for promotions, forcing rapid action at every administrative level.
      2.  Industrial Shutdowns and Upgrades: China closed or modernised thousands of old coal boilers, smelters, and polluting factories. Strict norms were accompanied by heavy investment in pollution-control equipment.
      3.  Push for Electric Mobility: Electric vehicles became a national priority. Shenzhen, for example, electrified its entire public bus fleet — over 16,000 buses — by 2017, a global first.
      4. Clean Heating and Coal Control: Coal boilers were replaced with cleaner technologies, and major cities phased out small polluting units. This transition played a major role in reducing PM2.5 levels.
      5. Robust Monitoring and Scientific Planning: China built dense air-monitoring networks and used satellite data to identify and shut down violators.

However, China’s progress comes with caveats - data manipulation, unauthorized reopening of factories, and renewed coal expansion after the 2021 power shortage. Its air-quality standards also remain less stringent than Western guidelines.

India’s Situation: Similar Challenges, Different Context:

India’s air-pollution landscape today resembles China’s in the late 2000s. Both nations share similar causes — urbanisation, industry, vehicle dependence, and crop burning. But India faces additional barriers:

• • Household Emissions: Biomass burning for cooking in rural areas remains a significant contributor. LPG schemes have helped, but affordability and supply gaps persist.
  • Unequal Access to Power: India cannot shut down coal plants at the same scale as China because millions still depend on them for reliable electricity.
  • Fragmented Governance: Unlike China’s unitary system, India’s federal structure spreads responsibility across multiple agencies, often causing overlap and weak accountability.
  • Growth vs. Environment Dilemma: Pollution-control measures are often seen as slowing down economic development, leading to hesitation among policymakers.

India’s Efforts and Their Limitations:

National Clean Air Programme (NCAP):

·         Started in 2019 to cut PM2.5 and PM10 levels by 20–30% by 2024.

·         Deadline extended to 2026.

·         Covers 131 cities.

·         Criticised for limited funding and lack of enforcement powers.

Other Key Interventions

·         FAME II to support EV adoption.

·         PM-KUSUM and solar initiatives to reduce reliance on coal.

·         Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in Delhi-NCR, but it reacts only after pollution exceeds thresholds instead of preventing it.

Gaps

·         Weak coordination between Centre and states.

·         Poor monitoring in small towns.

·         Source patterns differ widely across states — vehicles in Delhi, industry in Jharkhand, construction dust in Mumbai, biomass burning in villages.

The Way Forward:

1. Strengthen Regulations

·         Align emission standards more closely with WHO guidelines.

·         Enforce stricter penalties on industrial and vehicular violators.

·         Revise the AQI to remove the 500 cap and incorporate newer technology.

2. Target Key Sectors

·        Transport: Faster EV rollout, better public transport, stricter BS-VI compliance.

·        Agriculture: Subsidise stubble-management equipment and promote biomass-to-energy plants.

·        Industry: Install flue-gas desulphurisation (FGD) units in thermal plants and shift toward green hydrogen.

·        Cities: Control dust from construction, expand green spaces, and improve waste management.

3. Expand Monitoring and Data Use

·        Strengthen real-time monitoring beyond major metros.

·        Use satellite imagery and AI for precise source-apportionment.

4. Change Public Behaviour

·        Discourage open burning and fireworks.

·        Conduct school-level and community campaigns.

5. Improve Regional and Global Cooperation

·        Work with neighbours to manage transboundary pollution.

·        Tap international funds and technical support through UNEP, WHO, and climate summits.

Conclusion:

India’s air-pollution emergency is now a major health, economic, and environmental challenge. China’s experience shows that determined, long-term action backed by strict accountability can bring rapid improvement. India must adapt these lessons while shaping its own strategy — one focused on stronger regulations, better monitoring, cleaner technologies, and a more informed and responsible public.