Why NCAP is a non-starter in tackling Delhi's alarming air pollution levels

Delhi's pollution is 4x the legal limit; NCAP will just bring it down to thrice by 2024; Its pollution-reduction targets fall short of national air quality standards, and are not legally binding

The air in more than 100 cities in India has been polluted beyond the legally-binding national ambient air quality standards for almost a decade. Air pollution in Delhi and several north-Indian cities has exceeded these legal standards by more than 300 per cent in the past few years. 

Yet on January 10, the government launched its much awaited ‘National Clean Air Programme’ or the NCAP with a “tentative” target of curbing pollution across these cities by just 20-30 per cent in five years. This means, even if the target is met, the air pollution in Delhi and the National Capital Region