Lok Sabha Question No. 486 (STARRED), answered on 2019-07-26
Subject: Pollution Control
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Nama Nageswara Rao

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

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 486

TO BE ANSWERED ON 26.07.2019

## Pollution Control

## *486.  SHRI NAMA NAGESWARA RAO

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

- (a) whether India is one of the top polluted areas of the world; and
- (b) if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  action  being  taken  by  the  Government  to  control pollution?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) & (b) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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## STATEMENT REFEERED TO IN REPLY TO PARAS (a) & (b) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 486 FOR 26.07.2019 REGARDING 'POLLUTION CONTROL' RAISED BYSHRI NAMA NAGESWARA RAO

- (a) & (b) Pollution is a serious environmental concern in the country. Government is making all efforts for the mitigation of pollution in the country.

Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS) data indicated general improvement  in  air  quality  of  Delhi  in  2018.  The  number  of  'Good',  'Satisfactory',  and 'Moderate' days has increased to 159 in 2018, as compared to 152 in 2017 and 106 in 2016, and the number of 'Poor', 'Very Poor' and 'Severe' days has reduced to 206, compared to 213 in 2017 and 246 in 2016. In Delhi, reduction in PM2.5 levels in 2018 is 7.3% over 2017 and 14.8% over 2016. In Delhi, reduction in PM10 levels in 2018 is 8.6% over 2017 and 16.5% over 2016.

The  Central  Government  has  taken  a  number  of  regulatory  measures  for  prevention, control and abatement of air pollution in the country.

## Action Plans for Improvement of Air Quality in Delhi NCR :

- (i) Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) was notified on January 12, 2017, for prevention, control and abatement of air pollution in Delhi and NCR. It identifies graded measures and implementing agencies for response to four AQI categories, namely, Moderate to Poor, Very Poor, Severe and Severe + or Emergency.
- (ii) The  Central  Government  has  notified  a  Comprehensive  Action  Plan  (CAP)  in  2018 identifying  timelines  and  implementing  agencies  for  actions  identified  for  prevention, control and mitigation of air pollution in Delhi and NCR.

## Action Plans for Improvement of Air Quality of Other Cities :

- (i) Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change  has  launched  National  Clean  Air Programme  (NCAP)  in  January  2019  to  tackle  the  problem  of  air pollution in a comprehensive manner with targets to achieve 20 to 30 % reduction in PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations by 2024 with 2017 as the base year. The overall objective is to augment and evolve effective ambient air quality monitoring network across the country besides ensuring comprehensive management plan for prevention, control and abatement of air pollution and enhancing public awareness and capacity building measures.
- (ii) 102  non-attainment  cities  have  been  identified  based  on  ambient  air  quality  data  for  the period 2011 - 2015 and WHO report 2014/2018. A total of 86 city specific action plans have been approved for ground implementation.

## Monitoring

-  Setting up of monitoring network for assessment of ambient air quality. Presently, ambient air quality is being monitored at 779 locations covering 339 cities in 29 states & 6 Union Territories across the country under National Air Quality Monitoring Programme (NAMP). Further, real time monitoring is taking place at 170 locations in 102 cities in 18 States/UTs.
-  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.
-  Environment Protection Charges (EPC) have been imposed on diesel vehicles with engine capacity of 2000cc and above in Delhi NCR.

## Industry

-  Badarpur thermal power plant has been closed from 15th October, 2018.
-  Notification of stricter emission norms for power plants.
-  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.
-  Ban on pet coke and furnace oil - monitoring of use of pet coke in Lime Kilns/Cement Kilns and Calcium Carbide Industry in Delhi and NCR States.

## 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/garbage.
-  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, e-waste, biomedical waste, C&D waste and hazardous wastes issued in 2016.

## Dust

-  Notifications regarding dust mitigation measures for construction and demolition activities.
-  Number  of  mechanised  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  Uttar  Pradesh,  Punjab,  Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi Governments 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.

With  regard  to  prevention  and  control  of  water  pollution,  several  measures  have  been taken. These include-

-  Directions  have  been  issued  under  Section  5  of  the  Environment  (Protection)  Act,  1986 regarding 'Treatment and Utilization of Sewage for Restoration of Water Quality of River' to Municipal Corporations of 46 Metropolitan cities and 20 State Capitals.
-  Directions have been issued under Section18 (1) (b) of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 to SPCBs/PCCs regarding treatment & utilization of sewage.
-  The  continuous  water  quality  monitoring  systems,  Online  Continuous  Effluent  Monitoring Systems (OCEMS), have been installed in industrial units in the country for getting real time information on the effluent quality to identify and take action against non-complying units.
-  Setting  up  of  monitoring  network  for  assessment  of  water  quality.  40%  increase  (2500  to 3500) in manual and 360% (10-46) increase in Real Time Water Quality Monitoring stations during the last five years.
-  Stipulation of general discharge standards and industry specific effluent discharge standards under Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986 so as to prevent pollution of the water bodies.
-  Indicative guidelines for restoration of water bodies issued as a guidance to the stakeholders for ensuring restoration/ rejuvenation of water bodies.
-  Promotion of cleaner production processes, installation of Common Effluent Treatment Plants for cluster of Small Scale Industrial units.
-  Issuance of directions for implementation of Zero Liquid Discharge in certain categories of highly polluting industries.

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