Lok Sabha Question No. 300 (STARRED), answered on 2019-07-12
Subject: Rise in Pollution Levels
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Ramesh Chander Kaushik, Hanuman Beniwal

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

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 300

TO BE ANSWERED ON 12.07.2019

## Rise in Pollution Levels

## *300.  SHRI RAMESH CHANDER KAUSHIK SHRI HANUMAN BENIWAL

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

- (a) whether the rising pollution levels in the country have become a matter of grave concern for the environment;
- (b) if so, the details thereof during the last three years, State/UT-wise;
- (c)  whether  the  Government  has  assessed  the  damage caused  by  environment  pollution  in  the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Government has fixed responsibility in this regard and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the action plan formulated and campaigns being devised/run by the Government to deal with the rising pollution levels in the country?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)

(a) to (e) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT REFEERED TO IN REPLY TO PARAS (a) TO (e) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 300 FOR 12.07.2019 REGARDING 'RISE IN POLLUTION LEVELS' RAISED BY SHRI RAMESH CHANDER KAUSHIK AND SHRI HANUMAN BENIWAL

(a)&(b) The ambient air quality data for metropolitan cities / million plus urban agglomerations during 2016- 2018 is given in Annexure-I . Analysis of data revealed that SO2 levels were within the  National  Ambient  Air  Quality  Standard  (NAAQS)  in  all  50  cities  during  2016-18.  With respect to NO2,  17  cities showed  an  increasing trend, 16 cities showed  a  decreasing concentration,  16  cities  showed  a  fluctuating  trend  and  1  city  revealed  steady  concentration. With  respect  to  PM10,  14  cities  showed  an  increasing  trend,  14  cities  showed  a  decreasing concentration, 22 cities showed a fluctuating trend. With respect to PM2.5, trends are available for  17  cities  and  out  of  17  cities,  08  cities  showed  an  increasing  trend,  04  cities  showed  a decreasing concentration, 05 cities showed a fluctuating trend.

Based on the water quality data for the year 2016-18, 351 Polluted River Stretches have been identified on 323 rivers. State-wise list of polluted river stretches is enclosed as Annexure II .

(c) to (e) The Central Government has taken a number of initiatives for prevention, control and abatement of air pollution. These include

## Plans and Directions

-  Comprehensive Action Plan (CAP) identifying timelines and implementing agency for actions identified for prevention, control and mitigation of air pollution in Delhi and NCR has been notified.
-  National  Clean  Air  Programme  (NCAP)  under  the  Central  Sector  'Control  of Pollution'  Scheme  as a  time  bound national  level  strategy  to  tackle  air  pollution problem across the country in comprehensive manner has been launched.
-  102 non-attainment cities for formulation and implementation of city specific action plan under NCAP have been identified.
-  Graded Response Action Plan for different levels of air pollution in Delhi and NCR has been notified.
-  A comprehensive set of directions have been issued under section 18 (1) (b) of Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1986 for implementation of 42/31 measures to mitigate air pollution in major cities including Delhi and NCR cities comprising of control and mitigation measures related to vehicular emissions, re-suspension of road dust and other fugitive emissions, bio-mass/municipal solid waste burning, industrial pollution, construction and demolition activities, and other general steps.

## Monitoring

-  Setting up of monitoring network for assessment of ambient air quality.
-  Notification of National Ambient Air Quality Standards.
-  Launch of National Air Quality Index.
-  Implementation of Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi in October, 2018 in association with Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES).

## Transport

-  Leapfrogging from BS-IV to BS-VI fuel standards since 1st April, 2018 in NCT of Delhi and from by 1st April, 2020 in the rest of the country.
-  Introduction  of  cleaner  /  alternate  fuels  like  gaseous  fuel  (CNG,  LPG  etc.),  ethanol blending.
-  Promotion  of  public  transport  and  improvements  in  roads  and  building  of  more bridges to ease congestion on roads.
-  Operationalisation of Eastern Peripheral Expressway & Western Peripheral Expressway to divert non-destined traffic from Delhi.
-  Streamlining the issuance of Pollution Under Control Certificate.

## Industry

-  Badarpur thermal power plant has been closed from 15th October, 2018.
-  All brick kilns have been shifted to zig-zag technology in Delhi and NCR.
-  Installation of on-line continuous (24x7) monitoring devices all red category industries in  Delhi and NCR.
-  Revision of emission standards for industrial sectors from time to time.

## Biomass and Solid Waste

-  A new Central Sector Scheme on 'Promotion of Agricultural Mechanization for in-situ management  of  Crop  Residue  in  the  States  of  Punjab,  Haryana,  Uttar  Pradesh  and NCT of Delhi' for the period from 2018-19 and 2019-20 has been launched.
-  Banning of burning of biomass.
-  3  Waste-to-Energy  (W-t-E)  plants  are  currently  operational  in  Delhi  with  atotal capacity of 5100 Tonnes Per Day(TPD).
-  Notifications  of  6  waste  management  rules  covering  solid  waste,  plastic  waste,  ewaste, bio-medical waste, C&D waste and hazardous wastes issued in 2016.

## Dust

-  Notifications  regarding  dust  mitigation  measures  for  construction  and  demolition activities.
-  Number of mechanized road sweeping machines has been increased significantly and presently 60 machines are deployed for cleaning of roads in Delhi.

## Public Outreach

-  Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change and Delhi Government launched Clean Air for Delhi Campaign from 10th - 23rd Feb 2018 and to check air polluting activities pre and post Diwali, a special campaign called 'Clean Air Campaign' during November 01, 2018 to November 10, 2018.
-  Ministry  is  promoting  peoples  participation  and  awareness  building  among  citizens for environmental conservation through Green Goods Deeds that focus on promotion of cycling, saving water and electricity, growing trees, proper maintenance of vehicles, following of lane discipline and reducing congestion on roads by car pooling etc.
-  Development of mechanism for redressal of public complaints regarding air pollution issues in Delhi and NCR (through 'Sameer App', 'Emails'(aircomplaints.cpcb@gov.in)  and  'Social  Media  Networks'  (Facebook  and Twitter)  etc.

In  addition  to  the  above, various  actions  for  enforcement against  defaulting entities have been taken.

-  CPCB issued direction under Section 5 of E (P) Act, 1986 dated 29.10.2018 to Uttar Pradesh and Haryana SPCBs and Delhi PCC to initiate criminal prosecution against agencies who fail to take corrective actions.
-  Show-cause notice under section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 was issued for prosecution for effective management of construction and demolition (C&D) waste to North Delhi  Municipal Corporation (NDMC) and South Delhi Municipal  Corporation  (SDMC)  on  12.12.2018  and  10.12.2018  respectively. Subsequently,  Environmental  compensation  of    ₹  1.00  crore  was  imposed  on NMCD on 24.01.2019.
-  Show-cause  notices  have  been  issued  by  CPCB  for  prosecution  to  Northern Railways  and  Delhi  State  Industrial  &  Infrastructure  Development  Corporation Ltd.  (DSIIDC)  on  12.11.2018  and  to  Irrigation  and  Flood  Control  Department, Government of National Capital Territory, Delhi on 03.12.2018.
-  Environmental compensation of ₹1 crore have been imposed vide directions dated 12.12.2018  under  section  5  of  the  Environment  (Protection)  Act,  1986  on  oil companies- IOCL, HPCL and BPCL for non-compliance of directions regarding installation of stage I and Stage II vapor recovery system.
-  Environmental compensation of ₹1 crore has been imposed on Municipal bodies (New  Delhi,  South,  East,  North  and  Cantonment  Board)  of  the  city  over  open dumping/ burning of garbage and C&D waste vide directions dated January 16, 2019  under  section  31  A  of  the  Air  (Prevention  and  Control  of  Pollution)  Act, 1981.

***

ANNEXURE REFEERED TO IN REPLY TO PARAS (a) & (b) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 300 FOR 12.07.2019 REGARDING 'RISE IN POLLUTION LEVELS' RAISED BY SHRI RAMESH CHANDER KAUSHIK AND SHRI HANUMAN BENIWAL

## Annexure - I

Air quality status of million plus/ urban agglomerations cities for 2016, 2017 and 2018 under NAMP (Manual)

## (Annual average in µg/m 3 )

| Sl .N   | State           | Sl   | City                | 2016   | 2016   | 2016   | 2016    | 2017   | 2017   | 2017   | 2017    | 2018   | 2018   | 2018   | 2018    |
|---------|-----------------|------|---------------------|--------|--------|--------|---------|--------|--------|--------|---------|--------|--------|--------|---------|
| o       | State           | .N o |                     | SO 2   | NO 2   | PM 1 0 | PM 2. 5 | SO 2   | NO 2   | PM 1 0 | PM 2. 5 | SO 2   | NO 2   | PM 1 0 | PM 2. 5 |
| 1.      | Andhra Pradesh  | 1.   | Vijaywada           | 6      | 44     | 102    | -       | 6      | 29     | 99     | -       | 5      | 21     | 77     | 29      |
| 1.      | Andhra Pradesh  | 2.   | Vishakhap atnam     | 8      | 18     | 77     | -       | 9      | 17     | 73     | -       | 10     | 20     | 77     | 49      |
| 2.      | Bihar           | 3.   | Patna               | 4      | 32     | 212    | -       | 5      | 39     | 156    | -       | 5      | 51     | 207    | -       |
| 3.      | Chandig arh     | 4.   | Chandigarh          | 2      | 21     | 105    | 123     | 2      | 16     | 109    | 64      | 2      | 17     | 102    | 50      |
| 4.      | Chattisg arh    | 5.   | Durg- Bhillainaga r | 9      | 23     | 108    | -       | 8      | 21     | 97     | -       | 8      | 19     | 84     | -       |
| 4.      | Chattisg arh    | 6.   | Raipur              | 12     | 31     | 148    |         | 10     | 27     | 103    |         | 14     | 20     | 65     |         |
| 5.      | Delhi           | 7.   | Delhi               | 7      | 66     | 278    | 118     | 7      | 68     | 241    | 106     | 6      | 73     | 223    | 121     |
| 6.      | Gujarat         | 8.   | Ahmedaba d          | 14     | 27     | 108    | 34      | 14     | 29     | 120    | 38      | 16     | 29     | 236    | 73      |
| 6.      | Gujarat         | 9.   | Rajkot              | 13     | 21     | 92     | 32      | 16     | 22     | 106    | 37      | 19     | 23     | 203    | 64      |
| 6.      | Gujarat         | 10.  | Surat               | 13     | 22     | 92     | 31      | 16     | 26     | 106    | 36      | 22     | 29     | 176    | 57      |
| 6.      | Gujarat         | 11.  | Vadodara            | 14     | 23     | 92     | 30      | 16     | 23     | 108    | 36      | 20     | 25     | 188    | 60      |
| 7.      | Haryana         | 12.  | Faridabad           | -      | -      | -      | -       | -      | -      | -      | -       | -      | -      | -      | -       |
| 8.      | Jammu & Kashmir | 13.  | Srinagar            | -      | -      | -      | -       | -      | -      | -      | -       | -      | -      | 153    | -       |
| 9.      | Jharkha nd      | 14.  | Dhanbad             | 15     | 37     | 226    | -       | 15     | 37     | 238    | -       | 14     | 37     | 264    | -       |
| 9.      | Jharkha nd      | 15.  | Jamshedpu r         | 36     | 45     | 136    | -       | 36     | 45     | 131    | -       | 37     | 46     | 128    | -       |
| 9.      | Jharkha nd      | 16.  | Ranchi              | 20     | 37     | 196    | -       | 19     | 37     | 142    | -       | 18     | 36     | 122    | -       |
| 10.     | Karnata ka      | 17.  | Bangalore           | 3      | 31     | 103    | 51      | 2      | 31     | 92     | 46      | 2      | 30     | 90     | 47      |
| 11.     | Kerala          | 18.  | Kochi               | 2      | 20     | 48     | -       | 2      | 19     | 51     | -       | 3      | 16     | 57     | -       |
| 11.     | Kerala          | 19.  | Kollam              | 4      | 8      | 46     | -       | 3      | 6      | 43     | -       | 3      | 5      | 47     | -       |
| 11.     | Kerala          | 20.  | Kozhikode           | 2      | 18     | 51     | -       | 2      | 18     | 47     | -       | 2      | 10     | 54     | 6       |
| 11.     | Kerala          | 21.  | Malapuram           | 2      | 17     | 37     | -       | 2      | 21     | 32     | -       | 2      | 26     | 31     | -       |
| 11.     | Kerala          | 22.  | Thiruvanan thapuram | 10     | 25     | 53     | -       | 10     | 26     | 49     | -       | 9      | 24     | 49     | -       |
| 11.     | Kerala          | 23.  | Thissur             | 2      | 5      | 54     | -       | 2      | 5      | 56     | -       | 3      | 9      | 41     | -       |
| 12.     | Madhya          |      | Bhopal              | 3      | 15     | 89     | 27      | 4      | 15     | 93     | 41      | 7      | 14     | 135    | 59      |
| 12.     | Madhya          | 24.  |                     |        |        |        | 52      |        | 17     | 110    | 47      |        |        | 134    |         |
| 12.     | Pradesh         | 25.  | Gwalior             | 10     | 14     | 96     |         | 10     |        |        |         | 13     | 21     |        | 62      |
| 12.     | Madhya          | 26.  | Indore              | 11     | 20     | 95     | 54      | 11     | 21     | 80     | 43      | 10     | 19     | 88     | 41      |
| 12.     | Madhya          | 27.  | Jabalpur            | 10     | 23     | 71     | 32      | 10     | 21     | 74     | 23      | 7      | 17     | 119    | 43      |
| 13.     | Mahara shtra    | 28.  | Aurangaba d         | 14     | 39     | 92     | -       | 10     | 33     | 83     | -       | 13     | 35     | 70     | -       |

|            | 29.    | Mumbai     | 6     | 30   | 119   | -   | 3   | 18     | 151   | 40   | 2     | 21   | 166   | 46   |
|------------|--------|------------|-------|------|-------|-----|-----|--------|-------|------|-------|------|-------|------|
|            | 30.    | Nagpur     | 16    | 26   | 118   | -   | 9   | 27     | 102   | -    | 10    | 28   | 103   | 44   |
|            | 31.    | Nashik     | 13    | 27   | 85    | -   | 12  | 22     | 81    | -    | 12 21 |      | 85    | -    |
| 32.        | Pune   |            | 28    | 78   | 107   | -   | 21  | 65     | 102   | -    | 37 75 |      | 106   | -    |
| 33.        | Thane  |            | 18 60 |      | 122   | -   | 18  | 47 125 | -     | 17   | 44    |      | 108   | -    |
| 34.        | Vasai- | virar      | NA    | NA   | NA    | NA  | NA  | NA     | NA    | NA   | NA NA |      | NA    | NA   |
| Punjab     | 35.    | Amritsar   | 12    | 29   | 194   | -   | 11  | 27     | 168   | -    | 13 34 |      | 177   | -    |
|            | 36.    | Ludhiana   | 11    | 25   | 139   | -   | 10  | 28     | 162   | -    | 9     | 32   | 162   | -    |
| Rajasth    | 37.    | Jaipur     | 8     | 33   | 199   | -   | 8   | 30     | 177   | -    | 8     | 32   | 165   | -    |
| an         | 38.    | Jodhpur    | 6     | 23   | 168   | -   | 6   | 21     | 180   | -    | 7     | 24   | 223   | -    |
|            | 39.    | Kota       | 7     | 30   | 109   | -   | 8   | 28     | 130   | -    | 7     | 28   | 152   | -    |
| Tamilna    | 40.    | Chennai    | 10    | 18   | 65    | 25  | 9   | 17     | 62    | 32   | 9     | 16   | 78    | 34   |
|            | 41.    | Coimbatore | 6     | 24   | 59    | 35  | 5   | 26     | 49    | 34   | 6     | 23   | 54    | 32   |
| du         | 42.    | Madurai    | 15    | 24   | 76    | 38  | 14  | 23     | 67    | 30   | 12    | 20   | 84    | 34   |
|            | 43.    | Trichy     | 12    | 20   | 95    | 27  | 12  | 20     | 86    |      | 17    | 23   | 110   | 53   |
| Telanga na | 44.    | Hyderabad  | 5     | 27   | 101   | 49  | 6   | 28     | 108   | 54   | 5     | 30   | 105   | 55   |
|            | 45.    | Agra       | 5     | 22   | 198   | -   | 4   | 19     | 185   | 124  | 4     | 22   | 209   | 106  |
|            | 46.    | Allahabad  | 4     | 37   | 196   | -   | 4   | 40     | 140   | -    | 4     | 45   | 231   | -    |
| Uttar      | 47.    | Ghaziabad  | 15    | 28   | 235   | -   | 22  | 34     | 280   | -    | 21    | 43   | 245   | 103  |
| Pradesh    | 48.    | Kanpur     | 7     | 39   | 217   | -   | 7   | 45     | 224   | -    | 7     | 47   | 218   | -    |
|            | 49.    | Lucknow    | 8     | 27   | 214   | -   | 8   | 26     | 246   | 102  | 7     | 30   | 217   | 108  |
|            | 50.    | Meerut     | 7     | 55   | 157   | -   | 7   | 52     | 153   | -    | 7     | 58   | 177   | -    |
|            | 51.    | Varanasi   | 11    | 32   | 256   | -   | 10  | 38     | 244   | -    | 9     | 34   | 189   | -    |
| West       | 52.    | Asansol    | 13    | 42   | 211   | 88  | 12  | 37     | 163   | 67   | 13    | 35   | 146   | 58   |
| Bengal     | 53.    | Kolkata    | 4     | 49   | 113   | 70  | 6   | 41     | 120   | 71   | 6     | 44   | 148   | 86   |

NB.  NA-  no  monitoring  station  in  the  city,    '-'  data  not  available,  National  Ambient  Air  Quality  Standard (NAAQS) for Residential, Industrial, Rural and others Areas (Annual average) for SO2 = 50 µg/m 3 , NO2 = 40 µg/m 3 , PM10 = 60 µg/m 3 & PM2.5 = 40 µg/m 3 and SO2 = 20 µg/m 3 , NO2 = 30 µg/m 3 , PM10 = 60 µg/m 3 and PM2.5  =  40  µg/m 3 for  Ecologically  sensitive  area . The  data  furnished  in  the  table  for  year  2018  is  as available on date.

Annexure - II State-wise & Priority wise number of Polluted River Stretches

| S. No.   | STATE/UNION TERRITORY             | PRIORITY   | PRIORITY   | PRIORITY   | PRIORITY   | PRIORITY   | Grand Total   |
|----------|-----------------------------------|------------|------------|------------|------------|------------|---------------|
| S. No.   | STATE/UNION TERRITORY             | I          | II         | III        | IV         | V          | Grand Total   |
| 1        | ANDHRA PRADESH                    | -          | -          | -          | 2          | 3          | 5             |
| 2        | ASSAM                             | 3          | 1          | 4          | 3          | 33         | 44            |
| 3        | BIHAR                             | -          | -          | 1          | -          | 5          | 6             |
| 4        | CHHATTISGARH                      | -          | -          | -          | 4          | 1          | 5             |
| 5        | DAMAN, DIU AND DADRA NAGAR HAVELI | 1          | -          | -          | -          | -          | 1             |
| 6        | DELHI                             | 1          | -          | -          | -          | -          | 1             |
| 7        | GOA                               | -          | -          | 1          | 2          | 8          | 11            |
| 8        | GUJARAT                           | 5          | 1          | 2          | 6          | 6          | 20            |
| 9        | HARYANA                           | 2          | -          | -          | -          | -          | 2             |
| 10       | HIMACHAL PRADESH                  | 1          | 1          | 1          | -          | 4          | 7             |
| 11       | JAMMU & KASHMIR                   | -          | 1          | 2          | 2          | 4          | 9             |
| 12       | JHARKHAND                         | -          | -          | -          | 3          | 4          | 7             |
| 13       | KARNATAKA                         | -          | -          | 4          | 7          | 6          | 17            |
| 14       | KERALA                            | 1          | -          | -          | 5          | 15         | 21            |
| 15       | MADHYA PRADESH                    | 3          | 1          | 1          | 3          | 14         | 22            |
| 16       | MAHARASHTRA                       | 9          | 6          | 14         | 10         | 14         | 53            |
| 17       | MANIPUR                           | -          | 1          | -          | -          | 8          | 9             |
| 18       | MEGHALAYA                         | 2          | -          | -          | 3          | 2          | 7             |
| 19       | MIZORAM                           | -          | -          | 1          | 3          | 5          | 9             |
| 20       | NAGALAND                          | 1          | -          | 1          | 2          | 2          | 6             |
| 21       | ODISHA                            | 1          | -          | 3          | 2          | 13         | 19            |
| 22       | PUDUCHERRY                        | -          | -          | -          | 1          | 1          | 2             |
| 23       | PUNJAB                            | 2          | -          | -          | 1          | 1          | 4             |
| 24       | RAJASTHAN                         | -          | -          | 1          | -          | 1          | 2             |
| 25       | SIKKIM                            | -          | -          | -          | -          | 4          | 4             |

| 26          | TAMIL NADU    | 4   | -   | -   | 1   | 1   |   6 |
|-------------|---------------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|
| 27          | TELANGANA     | 1   | 2   | 2   | 2   | 1   |   8 |
| 28          | TRIPURA       | -   | -   | -   | -   | 6   |   6 |
| 29          | UTTAR PRADESH | 4   | -   | 1   | 2   | 5   |  12 |
| 30          | UTTARAKHAND   | 3   | 1   | 1   | 4   | -   |   9 |
| 31          | WEST BENGAL   | 1   | 1   | 3   | 4   | 8   |  17 |
| Grand Total | Grand Total   | 45  | 16  | 43  | 72  | 175 | 351 |