Despite its inclusion in the ambitious National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) launched in 2019, Chennai has achieved only a ‘modest’ improvement in its air quality, falling significantly short of targets set by other major Indian metropolitan areas. Official data from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change reveals that the city’s average PM10 concentration saw a mere 12.1% reduction between 2017-18 and 2024-25, moving from 66 µg/m3 to 58 µg/m3. This incremental progress places Chennai far behind cities like Mumbai, which recorded a 44% drop, and Kolkata with a 37% reduction, highlighting a critical challenge in its journey towards becoming a truly eco-friendly and equitable urban centre.
While Chennai’s current PM10 levels technically hover close to the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) of 60 µg/m3, experts caution that this incremental improvement is insufficient given the rapid pace of urbanisation, escalating traffic congestion, and intensive construction activities. The tangible health impacts underscore this concern, with medical professionals reporting a continued rise in respiratory cases across urban centres like Chennai. This stark reality serves as a poignant reminder that statistical proximity to standards does not always equate to a clean and healthy living environment for its diverse population.
Chennai’s Clean Air Action Plan specifically targets key sources of pollution, including vehicular emissions, road and soil dust, construction activity, and industrial pollutants. Directives for dust mitigation and the prohibition of open waste burning are in place; however, enforcement has been reportedly patchy, leading to persistent citizen complaints regarding unregulated construction dust and pervasive garbage burning. This gap between policy formulation and on-ground execution remains a critical impediment, compromising the efficacy of well-intended environmental policies and disproportionately affecting vulnerable communities.
Interestingly, Tamil Nadu has demonstrated relatively efficient fiscal management under NCAP and the 15th Finance Commission grants, utilising 82.4% (₹537.35 crore out of ₹652.24 crore) of its allocated funds between 2019-20 and 2025-26. This contrasts sharply with some other states, such as Delhi, which utilised a much smaller proportion of its allotted funds. Yet, Chennai’s performance lags significantly behind not only major cities but also smaller ones within its own state; Thoothukudi, for example, recorded an impressive 54.5% drop in PM10 levels, while cities like Bareilly and Varanasi achieved reductions exceeding 70%.
As the national government sets an ambitious goal of reducing the Air Quality Index (AQI) to below 50 in the next five years, cities like Chennai face an imperative to dramatically accelerate their local interventions. This calls for a multi-pronged, integrated strategy encompassing a rapid transition to electric public transport, stringent enforcement of construction norms and industrial emission compliance, and systematic management of unpaved roads. Achieving genuinely clean air is not merely an environmental objective but a fundamental pillar for ensuring sustainable urbanisation, equitable public health outcomes, and enhancing the overall quality of life for all inhabitants of Chennai.
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