Assumptions about India may lead one to believe it’s covered in thick grey smog throughout the year, but that depends on the season. Pre-monsoon months tend to see elevated air pollution in cities like Patna, Allahabad and Varanasi.
This phenomenon can be explained by the geography of northern India, wherein the Himalayas act as a filter, trapping pollution from North Indian River Plain areas.
1. Crop burning
Crop burning has been illegalized across South Asia, but even when these laws are enforced they don’t necessarily result in less emissions from this source.
Pollution from crop burning travels long distances, affecting districts far removed from any borders as emissions from other regions still have an impactful presence. This creates inefficient allocation of resources and weakens state regulation efforts.
Bureaucrats may be more inclined to curb crop burning when its pollution threatens their own district, leading them to act. We found that under these conditions, increasing bureaucrats by 10 percentage points nearer upwind borders resulted in a reduction of emissions by 12-13%.
This result is significant because it could have a profound effect on quality of life in the region, especially for women and children. We estimate that every log increase in in-utero exposure to PM2.5 from crop burning increases infant mortality by 24 and child mortality by 30 per 1,000 births.
2. Transport
Studies have revealed that air pollutants cause various health concerns, such as diminished lung function, heart issues and asthma in both children and elderly individuals. Young children and those still developing their lungs are especially at risk from air pollution’s harmful effects; moreover it has been linked to genetic changes, impaired liver function and hematological abnormalities, as well as neurobehavioral issues (Mukhopadhyay, 2009).
India is plagued with air pollution caused primarily by road traffic emissions and thermal power plants, with eastern states of the country housing many coal mines, power plants, brick kilns and biomass use in tandem.
At present, India is experiencing rapid urbanization and the lack of adequate transportation management has caused vehicular emissions to skyrocket. Methane from landfills and wastewater treatment plants also contributes to air pollution by contributing to ozone formation, smog formation and greenhouse gases emission; finally, open pit burning of solid waste contributes significantly to carbon dioxide emission levels.
3. Industrial activity
Industrial activities involve the transformation of raw materials into finished products and are an essential element of economic development, having a significant effect on GDP and urban development and population distribution. Industrial activity often attracts individuals from rural areas into cities for job opportunities created by industry; this may result in an increase in population density as people migrate closer to urban centers for employment opportunities created by industry; additionally, large-scale industries can alter land-use patterns when located close to one area while housing is built further away.
Small and large industrial sources contribute substantially to India’s high air pollution levels, particularly in its eastern region. Motor vehicles and thermal power plants account for more than 50% of emissions in Kolkata’s air, further compounded by construction dust from building projects as well as millions of poor households burning cow-dung and wood for cooking purposes. Emissions from non-combustion sources like paint and solvent use have seen dramatic increases, though this trend appears to have leveled off recently.
4. Fireworks
Fireworks bring joy and celebrations alike, yet leave behind an environmental footprint. Fireworks emit chemicals which have detrimental impacts on air, water and soil quality.
Perchlorate, produced when black powder explodes and burns, has been recognized as being toxic to both humans and animals and has been found in water and soil sources. Furthermore, perchlorate has been linked to lung diseases as a carcinogen.
fireworks emit particulate matter (PM), sulphur dioxide, nitric oxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere that are detrimental to human health and aquatic ecosystems, leading to acid rain which damages plants, harm aquatic ecosystems and causes drought and nutrient depletion. PM emissions also pose increased risks of cardiovascular and lung disease for users – so it’s crucial that fireworks use be reduced for health purposes.