New Delhi, September 7: National Green Tribunal (NGT) Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava has described clean air as a fundamental necessity rather than an environmental luxury, stressing the need for collective efforts to tackle air pollution.

Speaking at an event organised in New Delhi to mark the International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies, Justice Shrivastava said clean air is essential for maintaining a good quality of life.

He said the ultimate goal should be to create an environment where children can play outdoors without fear of air pollution and elderly people can take their morning walks without worrying about its impact on their health.

Justice Shrivastava noted that air pollution does not respect political, state, city or ward boundaries and is caused by multiple sources, including vehicular emissions, industrial activities and construction and demolition waste.

He called for coordinated action by all stakeholders to address the growing challenge of air pollution and improve air quality.

The Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan Awards were also presented in three categories to the best-performing states, cities and wards for their efforts to improve air quality under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP).