Table of Contents
Recently, Uttar Pradesh made headlines by launching India’s first state-level clean air initiative, known as the Uttar Pradesh Clean Air Management Project (UPCAMP). This marked a significant step forward in the state’s commitment to reducing air pollution and improving public health.
The primary objective over the next 10 years is to systematically reduce PM2.5 levels from major contributors, including domestic solid fuel usage, transportation, industrial operations, and agricultural practices.
The strategy includes significant technological innovations such as AI-enabled decision support systems, tunnel kiln technology, and the establishment of state-of-the-art supersites to monitor air quality more effectively.
The project has been meticulously developed with local emission data from Uttar Pradesh. For this, scientific modeling and advanced airshed-based strategies have been employed to tackle air pollution comprehensively.
What is an airshed-based approach?
An airshed is a geographic region that shares a common air mass, influenced by natural and human factors such as topography, climate, and industrial activity. For Uttar Pradesh, this airshed extends across the Indo-Gangetic Plain – a region known for its dense population and significant industrial and agricultural activity.
Its application in the Uttar Pradesh Clean Air Management Project involves,
1. Comprehensive pollution reduction
The airshed-based strategy focuses on deploying targeted measures to control pollution sources across several critical areas:
- Industry: Implementing strict monitoring systems to reduce emissions and encouraging cleaner production technologies.
- Transport: Promoting electric vehicles and enhancing public transport to cut down on vehicular pollution.
- Agriculture: Initiatives to manage stubble burning and reduce emissions from farming activities, in collaboration with the farming community.
- Livestock Management: Addressing pollution from animal husbandry through improved waste management practices.
- Dust Control: Ensuring that construction sites are adequately managed to minimise dust, while promoting recycling and proper disposal of construction waste.
- Waste Management: Enhancing strategies for waste reduction, segregation, and recycling to curtail pollutants entering the environment.
2. Meeting national clean air program targets
Uttar Pradesh’s effort aligns with the broader goals of India’s National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), which has set an ambitious goal to reduce PM 2.5 and PM 10 levels by 40 percent by 2026 in Uttar Pradesh and other non-attainment cities.
It is to be noted that cities, including Baghpat, Loni, Muzaffarnagar, and the state capital Lucknow, remain on the list of cities with high Air Quality Index (AQI) in Uttar Pradesh. Greater Noida is one of the most polluted cities in India.
The airshed approach facilitates meeting the state’s targets more effectively through a coordinated effort across various pollution sources.
3. Data-driven insights for informed actions
By collecting comprehensive air pollution data across the airshed, authorities can make informed decisions and take rapid control actions. This allows for more precise identification of pollution hotspots and customisation of intervention strategies to address them effectively.
The government also plans to run awareness campaigns targeting farmers to manage stubble burning and educate industries and the general public on pollution mitigation practices.
The airshed-based approach signifies a transformative shift in how air quality management is executed, moving beyond localised solutions to embrace a holistic, region-wide strategy. By addressing air pollution through this method, Uttar Pradesh aims to set a benchmark for other regions to follow.
Edited by Vidya Gowri
