Mapping the Evolution of Parliamentary Conversations on Air Pollution: A Focus on India's National Clean Air Program and Electric Vehicles
Bhavayta Mahajan, Monal Singh, Dr. Sandeep Pai | May 2023
Executive Summary
Global and India-focused literature on air pollution has largely emphasized measuring air pollution and understanding technical ways to address it. The literature has also exposed air pollution as a key factor for increased mortality rates among other public health issues. Any sustained action on air pollution would require legislative action by elected representatives. Despite the importance of legislative action on air pollution, little work has been done to track whether Indian lawmakers are pushing for action on combating air pollution. We fill this gap by analyzing how Indian Members of Parliament have raised two key issues related to air pollution in the Indian parliament – the National Clean Air Program and Electric Vehicles. We find that the members from the House of the People (Lok Sabha) outperformed in asking questions on air pollution as compared to the Upper House (Rajya Sabha) with the total number of questions asked in Lok Sabha at 53 and in Rajya Sabha at a mere 19. Overall, this work shows that although air pollution is gaining traction in the Indian parliament, we still have long ways to go before it becomes one of the key issues for Indian lawmakers.
