Legal Protection

India's primary legal instrument against air pollution is the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, enacted in 1981 and amended in 1987, which provides for the prevention, control, and abatement of air pollution. On vehicle emissions specifically, the Government of India decided to enforce Bharat Stage VI (BS-VI) emission norms from 2020, tightening the pollutant limits permitted from new vehicles. Judicial protection is provided through the Green Bench of the higher judiciary and the National Green Tribunal (NGT), a specialised body empowered to safeguard environmental interests. Beyond legislation, the Central and State governments in India have taken concrete implementation steps, including road traffic rationing, encouraging public transport and carpooling to cut vehicle numbers, increasing green cov …