UP govt asks Centre to establish panel to combat air pollution in IGP

The Uttar Pradesh government wants to overcome the air pollution in the Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP) at any cost. The state government has asked the Centre to set up an airshed coordination committee for this. The pollution levels exceed in this area, especially in the winter because of low temperatures and sluggish wind speeds.

As per the report of the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC), the declining air quality is harmful for people of all walks of life. The life expectancy of the people of the region has been reduced by around seven years.

The air pollution situation has been getting worse, so the Yogi Aaditynath government is anxious and adamant to improve the overall health issues of the people of this region arising due to pollution. Uttar Pradesh is in the middle of IGP, and the air pollution has severely affected the state.

Not to talk of UP, even Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai has also demanded to set up an airshed approach to combat air pollution in the national capital. Pollution moves in the air, and it spreads from one region to another. Therefore, a lot of emphasis has been given on the airshed approach.

The Central government launched the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) in 2019 with an aim to overcome the pollution issue by 20-30 per cent by 2024. However, the government later revised its target to a 40 per cent decrease by 2026.

As per the experts, small towns and villages have been facing pollution problems. They also stress the reduction of pollution in the region; otherwise, the situation would be more serious.