GS4 · UPSC Mains

A senior IAS officer, recently appointed as chairperson of the NCR Clean Air Mission, is tasked with addressing the escalating air pollution crisis in Delhi and neighboring regions, where the Air Quality Index has reached hazardous levels. Scientific assessments point to multiple contributors, i.e., stubble burning in nearby states, construction-related dust, industrial emissions, and diesel vehicle traffic. The officer proposes strict, time-bound restrictions, including suspending construction activities, limiting vehicular movement, and enforcing crop-residue burning bans. However, these measures attract strong opposition from various stakeholders. Farmers cite a lack of alternatives, real estate bodies warn of large-scale job losses, transport unions threaten strikes, and political authorities express concerns over the potential impact on upcoming international investment events. Meanwhile, health experts caution that delays will result in severe public health consequences, especially for children and the elderly. The media criticizes the measures as elitist and anti-poor. Caught between conflicting imperatives, i.e., environmental protection, economic livelihood, public health, and political viability, the officer must now make a decision. (a) What are the options available to the officer to tackle the situation effectively? (b) What core values and principles should guide decision-making in this scenario? (c) In such situations, what long-term institutional reforms would you suggest to reconcile environmental protection with developmental imperatives? (20 marks, 250 words)

20 marks · 250 words · 6 toppers answered this

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