Lok Sabha Question No. 2897 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-08-03
Subject: Violations of Environmental Regulations
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: MEENAKASHI LEKHI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2897

TO BE ANSWERED ON 03.08.2018

## Violations of Environmental Regulations

## 2897.   SHRIMATI MEENAKASHI LEKHI:

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

- (a) whether the  Government  is  aware  that  many  companies  of  the  manufacturing industry in the country are violating environmental regulations;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  in  view  of  the  aggravating  smog  problem,  the  Government  plan  to impose stricter punitive measures for violating environmental regulations and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) whether the Government is planning to invite civic participation in discussions relating to the rising level of air pollution in India and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(a) & (b) According  to  an  information  received  from  the  Central  Pollution  Control Board  (CPCB),  there  are  441  industries  that  are  not  complying  the  environmental  norms. CPCB has issued show-cause notices  to  274  industries  and  closure  directions  to  140  noncomplying units.

(c) & (d) In view  of the increase in air pollution in certain cities,  Ministry of Environment,  Forest  &  Climate  Change  has  taken  several  steps,  which  inter  alia,  include issuance  of  Notification  of  industry  specific  emission  and  effluent  standards  under  the Environment (Protection) Rules,; issuance of revised emission/effluent norms for key sectors such  as  Thermal  Power  Plants;  monitoring  of  compliance  of  notified  emission/  discharge norms,  surprise inspection of highly polluting large and medium units; and online monitoring of effluent and emission from 17 categories of industries for continuous check on pollution levels.

The  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change  (MoEF&CC)  has  formulated National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) for abatement of air pollution in the country. The NCAP  is  intended  to  strengthen  the  ongoing  government  initiatives  targeted  towards prevention, control and mitigation of air pollution. It lays down a comprehensive framework for  management  of  air  quality  in  the  country  by  augmentation  of  existing  air  quality monitoring  network  and  devising  air  quality  management  plans  for  non-attainment  cities based on detailed source apportionment studies for each city

With a purpose to involve local citizens in combating air pollution, MoEF&CC had launched Harit Diwali in September, 2017 to address the issue of air pollution after Diwali. The air quality  after  Diwali  in  2017  was  better  than  2016.    Further,  to  sensitize people of  Delhi,  a Clean Air Campaign was launched during 10 th February, 2018 to 23 rd February, 2018, which was received well by stakeholders.

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