India, Feb. 12 -- India's pollution economy is expanding as public investment in pollution control declines.

With worsening air quality and uneven access to safe water, a private market for air and water purifiers, masks, and monitoring devices is booming.

This growth highlights a shift towards private coping mechanisms.

It raises concerns about inequality and the normalisation of environmental degradation.

In the Union Budget 2026-27, allocation under the Control of Pollution head fell to Rs 1,091 crore from last year's revised estimate of Rs 1,300 crore, with outlays for key institutions such as the Central Pollution Control Board and the Commission for Air Quality Management. With public investment in pollution abatement remaining ...