Lok Sabha Question No. 1180 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-06-28
Subject: Children Death due to Air Pollution
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: P. C. Mohan

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1180

TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.06.2019

## Children Death due to Air Pollution

## 1180. SHRI P.C. MOHAN:

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

- (a) whether the Government is aware that around one lakh children are dying every year because of air pollution in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the top ten cities in India that are worst affected by air pollution;
- (c) the steps taken by the Government to curb air pollution in the country;
- (d) whether the Union Government has issued any directives to the State Government of Karnataka to curb air pollution in Bengaluru; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE    IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO)

- (a) Various Organizations/ Institutes, from time to time, have been publishing estimates of mortality/ morbidity attributable to environmental pollutionbased on models, simulations and  extrapolations.  These  estimates  are,  however,  based  on  models,  simulations  and extrapolations. Though air pollution is one of the triggering factors for respiratory ailments and  associated  diseases,  there  are  no  conclusive  data  available  in  the  country  to  establish direct  correlation  of  death/  disease  exclusively  due  to  air  pollution.  Health  effects  of  air pollution  are  synergistic  manifestation  of  factors  which  include  food  habits,  occupational habits, socio-economic status, medical history, immunity, heredity, etc., of the individuals.
- (b) Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)  along with State Pollution Control Boardsand Pollution Control Committeesare monitoring ambient air quality at 779 monitoring  stations  located  in  339  cities/towns  covering  29  states  and  6  union  territories across the country under National Air Quality Monitoring Programme (NAMP). CPCB does not rank cities w.r.t. air pollution. However, CPCB has identified 102 non-attainment cities, based  on  ambient  air  quality  levels  exceeding  National  Ambient  Air  Quality  Standards (NAAQS) for the period 2011 - 2015 and World Health Organisation report 2014/2018 .
- (c) The  Government  has  taken  several  steps  to  address  air  pollution,which inter  alia, includethe following:
-  notification of National Ambient Air Quality Standards,
-  revision of emission standards for industrial sectors from time to time,
-  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,
-  leapfrogging from BS-IV to BS-VI fuel standards,
-  notification of Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules,
-  banning of burning of biomass,
-  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 for controlling air pollution,
-  installation  of  on-line  continuous  (24x7)  monitoring  devices  by  major industries,
-  notification of Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) for Delhi and NCR,
-  Comprehensive  Action  Plan  (CAP)  for  air  pollution  control  in  Delhi  and NCR,
-  launched National Clean Air Programme (NCAP),
-  organization of clean air campaigns, etc.

(d) and (e )The Government has taken various initiatives to control air pollution in Karnataka including Bengaluru, which inter alia, include framing of city specific action plans to  control vehicular  emission,  road  dust,  biomass/  crop/  garbage/  Municipal  Solid  Waste  burning, construction activities, industrial emission, etc.

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