Union Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Minister Bhupender Yadav recently revealed the winners of the Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan 2023 (clean air survey). This initiative, launched under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), aims to rank 131 Indian cities based on their efforts to reduce air pollution by 40% before 2025-26. The cities are divided into three groups by population size, and each must self-assess their actions in areas like solid waste management, road dust control, construction waste management, vehicular emissions, and industrial pollution control. The top three cities in each group receive cash awards, fostering competition and encouraging air quality improvement.
Facts/Terms for UPSC Prelims
- Ranks: In the first category (population over 10 lakh), Indore ranked first with a score of 187 out of 200, followed by Agra and Thane. In the second category (population between 3-10 lakhs), Amravati secured the first rank, with Moradabad and Guntur following. In the third category (population less than 3 lakhs), Parwanoo in Himachal Pradesh ranked first, followed by Kala Amb in Himachal Pradesh and Angul in Odisha.
- National Clean Air Programme (NCAP): NCAP, launched in 2019, is India’s flagship program designed to address air pollution comprehensively. Its goal is to reduce Particulate Matter concentrations by 20% to 30% by 2024, using 2017 as the base year. The program identifies non-attainment cities that consistently fail to meet national air quality standards.
- Non-attainment Cities: Non-attainment cities are urban areas that have consistently fallen short of National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for over five years. These cities are a focal point for air quality improvement efforts under NCAP.
- PRANA Online Portal: PRANA stands for the “Portal for Regulation of Air-pollution in Non-Attainment Cities.” It is an online platform used by cities to conduct self-assessments and report on their actions to improve air quality.
- Competitive Federalism: Competitive federalism refers to the concept of states or regions competing with each other to achieve better governance outcomes. In the context of Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan, it encourages cities to compete and excel in addressing air pollution.
- Particulate Matter (PM10): PM10 refers to airborne particles with a diameter of 10 micrometers or smaller. These particles can include dust, soot, and other pollutants and are a significant component of air pollution, with adverse health effects when inhaled. Monitoring and reducing PM10 concentrations are key objectives of air quality programs like NCAP.
