Air quality management in Indian cities: lessons from the world
Student name: Ms Shifali Guleria and Ms Purva Madan
Guide: Dr Suresh Jain
Year of completion: 2018
Host Organisation: Earthood Services Pvt. Ltd.
Supervisor (Host Organisation): Ms Shreya Garg
Abstract: An Air quality management plan (AQMP) is an efficient tool with set of actions
and guidelines which helps in achieving the air quality goals and managing
acceptable air quality in a specified geographical area, if implemented properly.
Over the past few years, air pollution in cities of India has come to be
unanimously accepted by all stakeholders in India and the world as one of the
biggest threats to human health and a leading cause of mortality. In spite of its
known effects on the human health, neither Indian cities, nor India as a whole
have a comprehensive Air Quality Management Plan. With the introduction of
National Clean Air Programme, improvement in the status quo is appreciable,
but there is still a long way to go. Indian cities are plagued with excessive
amounts of air pollutants and there’s a need for introduction of elaborate local
AQMPs. Some key features of ideal AQMPs are feasibility, accuracy,
preciseness, defined roles and duties of stakeholders and specific set targets.
This study is an attempt to identify the flaws and shortcomings of the current
practices being followed and initiatives implemented in the country as well as to
compare the model followed in India with that of other developed and
developing countries with an ultimate goal to make an air quality management
KEY WORDS: AQMP, air quality monitoring and modelling, stakeholders,
NCAP, air pollutants
