Delhi Air Pollution - Need for Administrative Alterations

What is the issue?

• Air pollution in Delhi is being recognised as one of the biggest public policy challenges that India is facing.
• However, the shortfalls in the existing mechanism and approach call for course corrections.

What is the present mechanism?

• The present institutional framework includes the government at three levels, the Centre, the Delhi government and local municipal corporations.
• It also involves three entities on the judicial side, the Supreme Court, the Delhi High Court and the National Green Tribunal.
• Then there are the three regulatory/enforcement bodies -

1. the Central Pollution Control Board
2. the Delhi Pollution Control Committee
3. the SC-mandated Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority for the NCR Region (EPCA)

What are the shortfalls?

• Administrative - The primary reason for the inability to respond in a coordinated manner is the multiplicity of actors involved.
• Evidently, there are a number of entities working, but with little coordination.
• There is also lack of clarity on who should be held accountable, as dissipated authority leads to dissipated accountability.
• Approach - There are few signs of intervention for pollution control in the ground level.
• Most of the interventions at present lack any evidence-based approach.
• There is lack of proper evaluation on the effectiveness of the efforts and measures carried out.
• There is little clarity even on what is causing pollution in the first place.
• The studies done so far lack the quality and depth to unequivocally establish the pollution sources and their respective contributions.

What is desired?

• Single Agency - A single empowered agency under the Union government to deal with the issue on a war footing is required.
• Importantly, the leadership role of such an agency should be clear and unambiguous.
• Centre - The central government control is essential because pollution is a problem irrespective of geographical boundaries.
• Evidently, Delhi’s problem has its genesis partly beyond the city’s borders.
• Also, any solution will have components beyond the administrative and financial capabilities of regional/local governments.
• Executive control - The agency has to be fully under the control of the executive.
• It should be appointed by it and be answerable to it.
• There is space for judicial intervention but it has to happen in a manner that does not force initiative from the executive.
• Judiciary - The SC has shown initiative and leadership in bringing the pollution issue to the forefront.
• But it should not take policy-making away from the executive which is assigned for that role.
• Court's nature of intervention has to change, and it should transform its role from that of a policy analyst or a problem solver.
• It should only be an institution that protects citizens' rights by holding the governments of the day accountable.

Source: Indian Express