GS-III: Economy, Environment, S&T
Air pollution
Not met yet — counts as met once you answer a question on it.
Vehicular emissions, industrial effluents, crop residue burning, and dust release PM2.5, PM10, SO₂, NOₓ, ground-level ozone, and CO into ambient air. Regulatory authority derives from the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and the Environment Protection Act, 1986. The National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) sets a 40% particulate-reduction target against a 2017 baseline and designates India's non-attainment cities. Black carbon links air pollution to climate forcing, while the DALY burden connects it to public health. Article 21 grounds a constitutional right to a clean environment, making ambient air quality a justiciable concern.