Lok Sabha Question No. 76 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-06-21
Subject: Pollution
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Mohanbhai Kalyanji Kundariya

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION N0. 76

TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.06.2019

## Pollution

## 76. SHRI MOHANBHAI KALYANJI KUNDARIYA:

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  taken  note  of  the  observations  made  by  the  Supreme Court  that  the  Health  Schemes  would  not  be  able  to  achieve  any  success  until pollution is controlled;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the response of the Government thereto;
- (c) whether  the  Government  has  made  any  assessment  regarding  the  causes  of  rising pollution in the country; and
- (d) if so, the details and the outcome thereof along with the action plan formulated to curb pollution?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) to  (d)  Government  is  aware  that  pollution  is  associated  with  adverse  health  impact such as respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, stress and mental disorders.

Several  studies  have  been  conducted  in  various  cities  to  identify  major  air pollution sources (mainly NOX, PM10 and PM2.5) and their contributions to ambient air  pollution levels in the country. Major sources of air pollution include road dust, vehicles, garbage burning, construction and demolition activities, DG sets, industries, etc.

In  order  to  address  the  air  pollution  across  the  country  in  a  comprehensive manner,  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change  has  finalized  the National  Clean  Air  Program  (NCAP)  as  a  pan  India  medium  termfive-yearnational level strategy to tackle the increasing air pollution problem across the country.Overall objective  of  the  NCAP  is  comprehensive  mitigation  actions  for  prevention,  control and abatement of air pollution besides augmenting the air quality monitoring network across the country.

The Government has taken several other steps to address air pollution which inter alia, include 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  by  2017;  leapfrogging  from

BS-IV to BS-VI fuel standards by 1st April, 2020; notification of Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules; banning of burning of biomass; 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, 1986; installation of on-line continuous (24x7) monitoring devices by major industries;  collection  of  Environmental  Protection  Charge  on  more  than  2000  CC diesel vehicles; etc.

In  reference  to  Water  Pollution,  Central  Pollution  Control  Board  (CPCB)  is implementing  a  nationwide  water  quality  monitoring  under  National  Water  Quality Monitoring  Programme  (NWMP)  at  3500  locations  including  Surface  and  Ground water in association with State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) & Pollution control Committees  (PCCs)  to  fulfill  the  mandate  of  Water  (Prevention  &  Control  of Pollution) Act, 1974.

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