Lok Sabha Question No. 1972 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-12-21
Subject: Research on Pollution Level
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: MANSHANKAR NINAMA, KRISHNAN NARAYANASAMY RAMACHANDRAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION N0. 1972

TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.12.2018

## Research on Pollution Level

## 1972. SHRI MANSHANKAR NINAMA: SHRI K.N. RAMACHANDRAN:

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  conducted  any  research  regarding  the  rising  level  of pollution  in  Delhi  and  National  Capital  Region  (NCR),  if  so,  the  details  and  the outcome thereof;
- (b) the details of the steps taken by the Government to tackle the problem of the rising level of Particulate Matter (PM) in Delhi and NCR during the last three to four years;
- (c) whether  the  Union  Government  has  undertaken  any  efforts  to  coordinate  with  the State Governments of Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh to bring down the level of Particulate Matter; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof along with the directions issued to such States on the issue of burning of crops?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) The  number  of  good,  satisfactory  and  moderate  days  in  Delhi  in  2018  (up  to 16th Dec) is  159 as compared to 151 in 2017 during the corresponding period. The number of poor, very poor and severe days is down to 191 in 2018 as compared to 199 in 2017 during the same period up to 16th December, 2018. The water quality of Yamuna  river  monitored  at  five  locations  in  Delhi  shows  a  fluctuating  trend  for Dissolved  Oxygen  and  Biochemical  Oxygen  Demand  and  Total  Coliform  for  the period 2012-2018 (Till July).
- (b) The measures  taken/being taken by the Government to check/control the increasing level  of  pollution  and  improve  the  air  quality inter  alia, include  notification  of Graded Response Action Plan for different levels of air pollution in Delhi and NCR; 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 from 2017; leapfrogging from BS-IV to BSVI fuel standards since 1st April, 2018 in NCT of Delhi and from by 1st April, 2020 in  the  rest  of  the  country;  notification  of  Construction  and  Demolition  Waste

Management Rules; banning of burning of biomass; notifications regarding 'Mandatory  Implementation  of  Dust  Mitigation  Measures  for  Construction  and Demolition Activities for projects requiring EC' and 'Mandatory Implementation of Dust Mitigation Measures for all Construction and Demolition Activities'; notification of Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules; 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, etc.  Eastern  Peripheral  Expressway  &  Western  Peripheral  Expressway  have  been operationalised to divert non-destined traffic from Delhi.The Central Government has also notified a Comprehensive Action Plan (CAP) identifying timelines and implementing agency for actions identified for prevention, control and mitigation of air pollution in Delhi and NCR.

- (c) & (d) Meetings with Environment Ministers and concerned officers from neighbouring States were held under the chairmanship of Hon'ble Minister, Ministry of  Environment,  Forest  &  Climate Change  (MoEF&CC) on 27.09.18 and 01.11.18. Principal  Secretary  to  PM  as  well  as  Secretary,  MoEF&CC  have  held  regular meetings with the concerned officers of the neighbouring States to address this issue of burning of crops. Directions under section 5 of E (P) Act, 1986 and under section 18(1)(b) of the Air Act, 1981 have been also issued to State Governments of DelhiNCR and Punjab on the issue of burning of crops.

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