Congress Urges Overhaul of National Clean Air Programme

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi calls for a comprehensive rethink of India's National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) to encompass entire regions instead of just cities. Speaking at the India Clean Air Summit 2024, Gogoi emphasized a time-bound, collaborative approach to reducing industrial emissions and expanding the focus beyond particulate matter to include other pollutants.

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi has called for an overhaul of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), urging it to cover entire regions and not just cities. Speaking at the India Clean Air Summit 2024 organized by CSTEP in Bengaluru, Gogoi proposed a time-bound plan to transition industries to lower emissions, positioning them as champions of low-cost, high-quality energy transition rather than villains.

Gogoi, the deputy leader of Congress in the Lok Sabha, emphasized the need to revisit the NCAP, which was launched in 2019. 'It has not yielded satisfactory results for us as parliamentarians. There are severe limitations, and it's time for a rethink,' he remarked, suggesting an airshed approach for a more holistic strategy.

Gogoi highlighted that the NCAP's scope should include additional pollutants such as sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide. Jai Asundi, Executive Director of CSTEP, pointed out the importance of collective action in addressing air pollution, stressing the need for a participatory future in air quality management.

(With inputs from agencies.)