Lok Sabha Question No. 6586 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-04-06
Subject: Toxic Air
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: JITENDRA CHAUDHURY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UN-STARRED QUESTION N0. 6586

TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.04.2018

## Toxic Air

## 6586. SHRI JITENDRA CHAUDHURY:

Will  the  Minister  of  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND  CLIMATE  CHANGE  be  pleased  to state:

- (a) whether  it  is  a  fact  that  47  million  children  in  India  are  exposed  to  deadly  toxic  air according to Greenpeace India report and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether it is a fact that as many as 47 million children under the age of five years are residing  in  areas  where  particulate  matter  10  level  exceeded  Central  Pollution  Control Board(CPCB) annual limits and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  it  is  a  fact  that  children  are  worst  affected  in  States  such  as  Uttar  Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar, Maharashtra and Delhi;
- (d) if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the corrective measures taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

- (a) to (d) There is no conclusive data available in the country to establish direct correlation of death/disease exclusively due to air pollution. However, air pollution could be one of the  triggering  factors  for  respiratory  ailments  and  associated  diseases,  particularly  in children and elderly people.In 2016, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) monitored ambient air quality in 273 cities/towns in 29 States and 6  Union Territories across the country under National Air Quality Monitoring Programme (NAMP). During 2016, 190 cities exceeded NAAQS in the residential/industrial/rural area and 5 cities In ecologically sensitive area for PM10. 51 out the 195 cities (190 in residential/Rural/ Industrial Areas and 5 in ecologically sensitive area) where NAAQS for PM10 exceedare located in the five states of Uttar Pradesh (20), Rajasthan (7), Bihar(1), Maharashtra(22) and Delhi (1).
- (e) Government has taken several initiatives for better air quality in the country which inter alia,  include  notification  of  National  Ambient  Air  Quality  Standards;  setting  up  of monitoring  network  for  assessment  of  ambient  air  quality;  introduction  of  cleaner  / alternate  fuels  like  gaseous  fuel  (CNG,  LPG  etc.),  ethanol  blending,  launching  of National Air Quality index; universalization of BS-IV by 2017; leapfrogging from BS-IV

to  BS-VI  fuel  standards  by  1st  April,  2018  in  NCT  of  Delhi;  Promotion  of  cleaner production processes; formation of stringent norms for industrial emissions; notification of  Construction  and  Demolition  Waste  Management  Rules;  banning  of  burning  of biomass; promotion of public transport network; streamlining the issuance of Pollution Under Control Certificate; issuance of directions under Section 18(1)(b) of Air (Prevention  and  Control  of  Pollution)  Act,  1981  and  under  Section  5  of  Environment (Protection) Act, 1986; installation of on-line continuous (24x7) monitoring devices by major industries. The government has recently formulated National Clean Air Programme  (NCAP)  as  a  long  term  time  bound  national  level  strategy  to  tackle  the increasing  air  pollution  problem  across  the  country  in  comprehensive  manner.  The overall  objective  is  to  augment  and  evolve  effective  ambient  air  quality  monitoring network  across  the  country  besides  ensuring  comprehensive  management  plan  for prevention, control and abatement of air pollution.

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