Lok Sabha Question No. 4348 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-19
Subject: Pollution at Tourist Destinations
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: H. Vasanthakumar

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 4348

TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.07.2019

## Pollution at Tourist Destinations

## 4348. SHRI H. VASANTHAKUMAR

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

- (a) whether the Ministry has any data about the pollution at various tourist destinations of national importance, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the pollution is spreading through  food/water wastes  and  emissions which are causing ailments to the people in these areas and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether several monuments are also losing their beauty due to air/water pollution and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d)   whether the  Government  has taken/ proposes to take any steps to make the tourist places pollution free, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) to (c) Among the 38 World Heritage sites located in India which include 30 cultural sites, 07  natural  sites  and  01  mixed  site,  the  ambient  air  quality  data  during  2018  of  cities  with UNESCO World Heritage Sites is given at Annexure-I .  Out of 35 cities with UNESCO World Heritage  Sites,  with  respect  to  SO2  all  cities  are  within  the  National  Ambient  Air  Quality Standards (NAAQS). With respect to NO2, 1 city exceeds the NAAQS and with respect to PM10, 26  cities  out  of  35  cities  exceed  the  NAAQS.  With  respect  to  PM2.5,  5  cities  out  of  24  cities exceed the NAAQS.

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.

- (d) The Central Government has taken a number of regulatory measures for prevention, control and  abatement  of  air  pollution  in  the  country  which  includes  tourist  destination  of  national importance.

## 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.

Annexure - I

## Ambient air quality in cities (SO2, NO2, PM10) of the country during 2018 in cities with UNESCO World Heritage Site

| Sl. No.   | State / UT       | Sl. No.   |            | Annual average in µg/m3   | Annual average in µg/m3   | Annual average in µg/m3   |
|-----------|------------------|-----------|------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|
| Sl. No.   | State / UT       | Sl. No.   |            | SO 2                      | NO 2                      | PM 10                     |
| 1.        | Assam            | 1.        | Golaghat   | 6                         | 12                        | 56                        |
| 1.        | Assam            | 2.        | Nagaon     | 7                         | 17                        | 96                        |
| 2.        | Bihar            | 3.        | Gaya       | 12                        | 21                        | 89                        |
| 3.        | Chandigarh       | 4.        | Chandigarh | 2                         | 17                        | 102                       |
| 4.        | Delhi            | 5.        | Delhi*     | 15                        | 44                        | 243                       |
| 5.        |                  | 6.        | Amona      | 8                         | 12                        | 62                        |
| 5.        |                  | 7.        | Assanora   | 8                         | 13                        | 56                        |
| 5.        |                  | 8.        | Bicholim   | 7                         | 13                        | 70                        |
| 5.        |                  | 9.        | Codli      | 8                         | 12                        | 61                        |
| 5.        |                  | 10.       | Cuncolim   | 11                        | 15                        | 77                        |
| 5.        |                  | 11.       | Curchorem  | 9                         | 13                        | 57                        |
| 5.        |                  | 12.       | Honda      | 8                         | 13                        | 62                        |
| 5.        |                  | 13.       | Kundaim    | 8                         | 14                        | 69                        |
| 5.        | Goa              | 14.       | Mapusa     | 4                         | 7                         | 73                        |
| 5.        |                  | 15.       | Margao     | 7                         | 13                        | 57                        |
| 5.        |                  | 16.       | Mormugao   | 5                         | 11                        | 101                       |
| 5.        |                  | 17.       | Panaji     | 6                         | 12                        | 68                        |
| 5.        |                  | 18.       | Ponda      | 8                         | 13                        | 93                        |
| 5.        |                  | 19.       | Sanguem    | 9                         | 13                        | 61                        |
| 5.        |                  | 20.       | Tilamol    | 9                         | 14                        | 81                        |
| 5.        |                  | 21.       | Tuem       | 8                         | 13                        | 54                        |
| 5.        |                  | 22.       | Usgao      | 7                         | 13                        | 59                        |
| 5.        |                  | 23.       | Vasco      | 5                         | 11                        | 83                        |
| 6.        | Gujarat          | 24.       | Ahmedabad  | 16                        | 29                        | 236                       |
| 7.        | Himachal Pradesh | 25.       | Shimla     | 4                         | 26                        | 60                        |
| 8.        | Maharashtra      | 26.       | Aurangabad | 13                        | 35                        | 70                        |
| 8.        | Maharashtra      | 27.       | Mumbai     | 2                         | 21                        | 166                       |
| 9.        | Odisha           | 28.       | Konark     | 2                         | 12                        | 79                        |
|           |                  | 29.       | Bharatpur  | 7                         | 25                        | 201                       |
| 10.       | Rajasthan        | 30.       | Jaipur     | 8                         | 32                        | 165                       |
| 11.       | Sikkim           | 31.       | Chungthang | 6                         | 5                         | 29                        |
| 12.       | Tamilnadu        | 32.       | Coimbatore | 6                         | 23                        | 54                        |
| 13.       | Uttar Pradesh    | 33.       | Agra       | 4                         | 22                        | 209                       |
|           |                  | 34.       | Jalpaiguri | 2                         | 16                        | 64                        |
| 14.       | West Bengal      | 35.       | Siliguri   | 2                         | 17                        | 72                        |

## Ambient air quality (PM2.5) in cities during 2018 in cities with UNESCO World Heritage Site

| SL. No.   | State            |   Sl. No. | City       |   Average of PM2.5 Annual average (µg/m 3 ) |
|-----------|------------------|-----------|------------|---------------------------------------------|
| 1.        | Chandigarh       |         1 | Chandigarh |                                          50 |
| 2.        | Delhi            |         2 | Delhi*     |                                         115 |
|           |                  |         3 | Amona      |                                          20 |
|           |                  |         4 | Assanora   |                                          18 |
|           |                  |         5 | Bicholim   |                                          23 |
|           |                  |         6 | Codli      |                                          20 |
|           |                  |         7 | Cuncolim   |                                          42 |
|           |                  |         8 | Curchorem  |                                          32 |
|           |                  |         9 | Honda      |                                          20 |
|           |                  |        10 | Kundaim    |                                          22 |
| 3.        | Goa              |        11 | Margao     |                                          18 |
|           |                  |        12 | Mormugao   |                                          38 |
|           |                  |        13 | Panaji     |                                           8 |
|           |                  |        14 | Ponda      |                                          29 |
|           |                  |        15 | Sanguem    |                                          31 |
|           |                  |        16 | Tilamol    |                                          44 |
|           |                  |        17 | Tuem       |                                          17 |
|           |                  |        18 | Usgao      |                                          19 |
|           |                  |        19 | Vasco      |                                          60 |
| 4.        | Gujarat          |        20 | Ahmedabad  |                                          73 |
| 5.        | Himachal Pradesh |        21 | Shimla     |                                          33 |
| 6.        | Tamilnadu        |        22 | Coimbatore |                                          32 |
| 7.        | Uttar Pradesh    |        23 | Agra       |                                         106 |
| 8.        | West Bengal      |        24 | Siliguri   |                                          35 |

NB. *CAAQMS data