Reference Article: Editorial | The Hindu – Rearguard action: On weather change and consistent action
UPSC Relevance:
– GS Paper III – Environment and Ecology, Disaster Management, Pollution
– GS Paper II – Governance, Role of regulatory institutions, Centre–State coordination
The onset of the fog season in northern India has once again triggered widespread disruption, accidents and public health risks, highlighting the chronic nature of air pollution across the Indo-Gangetic plains. What was once seen largely as a Delhi-centric problem now affects large urban clusters including Mumbai, Kolkata and rapidly expanding cities.
Key features of the crisis include:
- A sharp spike in particulate matter pollution after the monsoon
- Air Quality Index (AQI) levels persistently in the ‘very poor’ (300–400) range
- Frequent breaches into ‘severe’ and ‘severe+’ (400+) categories during fog episodes
- Heightened public anxiety and health risks in already polluted environments
Fog itself does not significantly increase toxicity, but it severely reduces visibility, compounding risks caused by polluted air.
Human and Economic Costs
The interaction between dense fog and extreme pollution has led to serious consequences:
- At least 25 deaths and 59 injuries in fog-related road accidents in Uttar Pradesh
- A major multi-vehicle pile-up on the Yamuna Expressway in Mathura
- Severe disruption of aviation in Delhi, with over 200 flight cancellations and hundreds of delays
These outcomes underline how environmental stressors quickly translate into disaster management challenges.
Policy Response: Reactive and Inadequate
Emergency measures under GRAP-4 were imposed in Delhi, including:
- Bans on construction and demolition activities
- Closure of schools and shift to online classes
- Restrictions on vehicle movement
However, several responses remain superficial:
- Threats to deny fuel to vehicles without pollution certificates
- Proposed entry bans for non-BS-6 vehicles
- Repetitive high-level meetings with little enforceable follow-through
These steps fail to address the core issue — year-round emissions trapped by seasonal meteorological conditions.
Institutional Gaps and Governance Failure
The crisis exposes weaknesses in air pollution governance:
- Persistent reliance on short-term, emergency measures instead of sustained action
- Limited effectiveness of Centre-led coordination mechanisms
- Underperformance of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), despite its statutory authority
The absence of continuous emission control across transport, industry, construction and agriculture ensures that weather events like fog repeatedly push AQI into dangerous territory.
The Way Forward
To prevent seasonal air quality emergencies from becoming annual disasters:
- Air pollution control must be year-round, not episodic
- CAQM must assert independence and enforce compliance across States
- Regional coordination is essential, given the transboundary nature of pollution
- Policy focus should shift from visibility management to emission reduction
Fog season should be treated as a warning signal, not an unavoidable calamity.
Sample UPSC Mains Question
Seasonal fog acts as a catalyst rather than a cause of air quality emergencies in northern India.
Discuss the limitations of India’s current air pollution governance framework and suggest measures for sustainable, year-round mitigation.