Lok Sabha Question No. 274 (STARRED), answered on 2017-03-21
Subject: Abatement of Air Pollution
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: SATYA PAL SINGH, RAHUL RAMESH SHEWALE

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

## LOK  SABHA STARRED QUESTION N0. 274

TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.03.2017

## Abatement of Air Pollution

## *274.  DR. SATYAPAL SINGH: SHRI RAHUL SHEWALE:

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

- (a)   the  existing  policy  for  regulation  of  air  quality  and  abatement  of  air  pollution  at  various locations across the country;
- (b)  whether  the  Government  has  taken  note  of  the  report  of  the  US  Embassy  which  showed Delhi's  air  quality  level  as  very  unhealthy  and  if  so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  the reaction of the Government thereto;
- (c) whether  the  number  of  patients  with  respiratory  diseases  have  increased  manifold  in  the country due to unhealthy air quality;
- (d) if so, the details thereof during the last three years and the current year, State/ UT-wise; and
- (e) the corrective steps taken/being taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI ANIL MADHAV DAVE)

- (a) to (e): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

***

## Statement  referred  to  in  reply  to  Lok  Sabha  Starred  Question  No.274  due  for  reply  on 21.03.2017 regarding "Abatement of Air Pollution"  by DR. SATYAPAL SINGH: SHRI RAHUL SHEWALE, Hon'ble Members of Parliament

(a) The existing policy for regulation of air quality  and abatement of  air pollution at various locations across the country includes formulation of industrial emission norms with respect to 67 categories  of  Industries,  vehicular  emission  norms  and  leapfrogging  from  BS-IV  to  BS-VI  by March,  2020  apart  from  comprehensive  set  of  directions  under  section  18  (1)  (b)  of  of  Air (Prevention  and  Control  of  Pollution)  Act,  1981  for  management  of  air  quality  containing  42 action points and monitoring of air quality in 271 towns. The Government has also laid down National Ambient Air Quality standards which provides yardstick for assessment and implementation of steps necessary for maintaining healthy air quality.

(b) The quality of air in Delhi can be assessed as per National Air Quality Index (NAQI) which classifies it into good, satisfactory, moderate, poor, very poor, and severe categories. As per AQI data for Delhi, the number of days during which air quality was satisfactory during 2015 between May and December were 23, the number of moderate days were 77, number of poor days were 73, number of very poor days were 54 and number of severe days were 8. During 2016, number of satisfactory days were 24, number of moderate days were 85, number of poor days were 120 and number of very poor days were 97. The number of severe days in 2015 and 2016 were 8 and 28,  respectively.  During  January  to  March  2017,  the  AQI  varies  between  moderate  and  very poor. The number of moderate days were 13, number of poor days 39 and number of very poor days were 24. The data relating to Air Quality Index for Delhi is annexed.

(c) & (d)  While there has been minimal increase in number of patients with respiratory diseases between 2013 to 2015, the data does not reflect manifold increase. Further, air pollution is one of the aggravating factors for respiratory disease. There are several other factors that may lead to respiratory ailments like smoking, age, genetic causes etc.

(e) The Government has taken several steps to mitigate air pollution which inter alia, include notification of National Ambient Air Quality Standards; formulation of environmental regulations  /  statutes;  setting  up  of  monitoring  network  for  assessment  of  ambient  air  quality; introduction  of  cleaner  /  alternate  fuels  like  gaseous  fuel  (CNG,  LPG  etc.),  ethanol  blending; promotion of cleaner production processes; launching of National Air Quality index;

universalization  of  BS-IV  by  2017;  leapfrogging  from  BS-IV  to  BS-VI  fuel  standards  by  1st April, 2020; comprehensive amendments to various Waste Management Rules and notification of  Construction  and  Demolition  Waste  Management  Rules;  banning  of  burning  of  leaves, biomass,  municipal  solid  waste;  promotion  of  public  transport  and  network  of  metro,  erickshaws, promotion of car pooling, Pollution Under Control Certificate, lane discipline, vehicle maintenance; regular co-ordination meetings at official and ministerial level with Delhi and other State  Governments  within  the  NCR;  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; collection of Environmental Protection Charge on more than 2000 CC diesel vehicles; and ban on bursting of sound emitting crackers between 10 PM to 6 AM; notification of graded response action plan for Delhi and NCR etc.

******

ANNEXURE REFERRED IN REPLY TO THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 274 DUE FOR ANSWER  ON  21.03.2017  REGARDING  "ABATEMENT  OF  AIR  POLLUTION"  RAISED  BY  DR. SATYAPAL SINGH: SHRI RAHUL SHEWALE, HON'BLE MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT

## AQI Status of Delhi (May 2015 to March 17, 2017)

| Months   | Good   | Satisfactory   | Moderate   | Poor      | Very Poor   | Severe   | Data Availability   |
|----------|--------|----------------|------------|-----------|-------------|----------|---------------------|
|          | (0-50) | (51-100)       | (101-200)  | (201-300) | (301-400)   | (>401)   |                     |
| May-15   | *      | 1              | 5          | 18        | 6           | *        | 30                  |
| Jun-15   | *      | 3              | 13         | 8         | 1           | *        | 25                  |
| Jul-15   | *      | 11             | 17         | 2         | 1           | *        | 31                  |
| Aug-15   | *      | 3              | 25         | 2         | *           | *        | 29                  |
| Sep-15   | *      | 4              | 12         | 13        | 1           | *        | 30                  |
| Oct-15   | *      | 1              | 2          | 17        | 9           | *        | 30                  |
| Nov-15   | *      | *              | *          | 2         | 20          | 8        | 30                  |
| Dec-15   | *      | *              | 3          | 11        | 16          | *        | 30                  |
| Jan-16   | *      | *              | *          | 2         | 23          | 6        | 31                  |
| Feb-16   | *      | *              | *          | 13        | 15          | 1        | 29                  |
| Mar-16   | *      | *              | 7          | 16        | 4           | *        | 27                  |
| Apr-16   | *      | *              | *          | 25        | 5           | *        | 30                  |
| May-16   | *      | *              | 7          | 19        | 5           | *        | 31                  |
| Jun-16   | *      | *              | 15         | 12        | *           | 2        | 29                  |
| Jul-16   | *      | 6              | 15         | 4         | *           | *        | 25                  |
| Aug-16   | *      | 17             | 13         | *         | *           | *        | 30                  |
| Sep-16   | *      | 1              | 24         | 5         | *           | *        | 30                  |
| Oct-16   | *      | *              | 4          | 20        | 4           | 3        | 31                  |
| Nov-16   | *      | *              | *          | 3         | 17          | 10       | 30                  |
| Dec-16   | *      | *              | *          | 1         | 24          | 6        | 31                  |
| Jan-17   | *      | *              | 2          | 9         | 20          | *        | 31                  |
| Feb 17   | *      | *              | 2          | 22        | 4           | *        | 28                  |
| March 17 | *      | *              | 09         | 08        | *           | *        | 17                  |

Note: '*' Indicates Data not available or Data does not fall in the category