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Today’s Mock Test: Environmental Governance & Air Pollution Policies (2025)
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Rare Consensus In Lok Sabha: Centre & Opposition Unite For ‘City-Wise’ Air Pollution Action Plan; New ‘Air Shed’ Governance Model Unveiled
December 14, 2025 | Parliament Winter Session | Environmental Governance Reform | UPSC GS-3 • Governance
By Parliamentary Affairs & Environment Correspondent
Legislative Policy & Climate Governance Analyst
Focus: Environmental laws, Air Shed management, Parliamentary debates
In a departure from usual political friction, Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju agreed on a structured debate to tackle the “public health emergency” of toxic air, marking a pivot towards collaborative environmental governance[web:147][web:148].
Breaking the partisan gridlock of the Winter Session, the Lok Sabha has reached a historic consensus to treat air pollution as a non-ideological “public health emergency.” Responding to the Opposition’s demand for a comprehensive strategy, the Centre has unveiled a new governance framework shifting focus from state boundaries to “Air Shed Management”—a scientific approach to managing pollution based on geography rather than political borders[web:147][web:154].
Union Minister Bhupender Yadav announced stringent new norms, including a December 31 deadline for industries to install advanced emission monitoring systems or face immediate closure. This comes alongside the introduction of the Draft Greenhouse Gases Emission Intensity Target Rules, 2025, signaling India’s aggressive pivot toward rigorous environmental compliance[web:152][web:154].
Union Minister Bhupender Yadav announced stringent new norms, including a December 31 deadline for industries to install advanced emission monitoring systems or face immediate closure. This comes alongside the introduction of the Draft Greenhouse Gases Emission Intensity Target Rules, 2025, signaling India’s aggressive pivot toward rigorous environmental compliance[web:152][web:154].
The "Rare Unity": Parliament’s New Stance
π€ The Consensus Breakthrough
- Zero Hour Intervention: LoP Rahul Gandhi termed the smog crisis a “public health emergency” affecting millions of children and elderly, urging that this “is not an ideological issue”[web:147][web:151].
- Government’s Nod: Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju immediately accepted the proposal, stating the government is “ready from Day 1” for a structured discussion and city-wise action plans[web:148][web:151].
- Significance: This de-politicization allows for faster legislative movement on the Environment (Protection) Second Amendment Rules, 2025 without typical parliamentary disruptions.
π️ Demand for City-Wise Action Plans
The House agreed on the need for hyper-local strategies. Instead of a blanket national policy, the focus is shifting to micro-action plans for specific cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and tier-2 industrial hubs, detailing progress markers for the next 5–10 years[web:155].
New Governance Model: The "Air Shed" Approach
Definition: An "Air Shed" is a geographic area where pollutants get trapped due to topography and weather, irrespective of state boundaries.
Legislative Framework
A new legal framework was announced to identify and manage 35 specific Air Sheds across India. This removes the "blame game" between neighboring states (e.g., Punjab vs. Delhi) by creating a unified command for the entire shed[web:154].
December 31 Ultimatum
Industries within these sheds must install approved emission monitoring models by Dec 31, 2025. Non-compliance will trigger "stringent action," extending to immediate closure of industrial units[web:154].
2025 Environmental Reforms: Key Legislations
| Regulation/Rule | Key Impact |
|---|---|
| Draft GEI Rules 2025 | Sets Greenhouse Gas Emission Intensity Targets for energy-intensive sectors. Foundational for the new Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS)[web:152]. |
| Env. (Protection) 2nd Amendment 2025 | Tightens norms for effluent discharge and fugitive emissions (e.g., Chlorine, HCl), mandating real-time monitoring for chemical industries[web:152]. |
| Corporate ESG Mandate | SEBI mandates top 1000 listed companies to disclose detailed ESG metrics via BRSR, integrating pollution control into corporate survival[web:152]. |
Exam Corner: UPSC & Banking Analysis
For UPSC (GS Paper 3: Environment)
- Shift from Administrative to Geographic Governance: Analyze the transition to "Air Shed Management." Why did the state-boundary model fail?
- GEI Rules 2025: Understand the link between these rules and India's "Panchamrit" goals (Net Zero by 2070).
- Legislative vs. Collaborative Federalism: How does the Lok Sabha consensus reflect on federal cooperation in environmental matters?
For Banking/RBI Grade B (ESG Focus)
- Green Deposits Framework: RBI's framework effective June 2023 is now being tested against these new industrial norms.
- Credit Risk: Non-compliance with the Dec 31 deadline by industries increases credit risk for banks lending to MSMEs in NCR.
— End of Report —
Sources:
- Lok Sabha Zero Hour Proceedings (Dec 2025)[web:147][web:148].
- Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) Notifications[web:152].
- Statements by Union Minister Bhupender Yadav & LoP Rahul Gandhi[web:154][web:155].
