Lok Sabha Question No. 3298 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-12
Subject: Environment Performance Index
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Hema Malini

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3298

TO BE ANSWERED ON 12.07.2019

## Environment Performance Index

## 3298. SHRIMATI HEMA MALINI:

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

- (a)  whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  India  is  amidst  a  deep  environmental  crisis  as  the country  was  ranked  among  the  bottom  five  countries  in  the  list  of  Global  Environmental Performance Index, 2018;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether public awareness campaigns are being organized by the Union Government to tackle environmental crisis and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the success of campaigns so far is as per targets and expectations of the Government; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(a)  & (b)The government is aware of a report that has been released during January, 2018 by Yale  Center  for  Environmental  Law  &  Policy  (YCELP),  Yale  University  and  Columbia University, entitled 'Environmental Performance Index (EPI) 2018'.

The above report relied on data gathered by NASA Satellite in place of actual monitored data.  Countries  can  be  ranked  on  the  basis  of  different  criteria  pollutants  with  differentresults. Further report has not been peer reviewed.  The report needs to be interpreted in proper perspective as it is based on different methodologies and involve various assumptions and uncertainties.

(c)Following actions have been taken for creating awareness amongst the general population:

- i. 41 teams of CPCB officials from September 15, 2018 and later 52 teams from November 01,  2018  till  28  February,  2019,  were  deployed  for  monitoring  and  providing  ground feedback about activities causing air pollutions. Teams provide on-the-spot reports along with GPS coordinates through SAMEER App to enforcing agencies to facilitate actions on ground.
- ii. Clean Air Campaign was organized during November 01, 2018 to November 10, 2018, to take on-spot ground actions for control of air polluting activities and sensitizing public to ensure their effective participation in future. A total 2619 complaints lodged during Clean Air  Campaign and 454 Challan were issued. And the same was also organized during February 10- 23, 2018.
- iii. Social  media  platform  has  been  created  for  public  awareness  in  matters  related  to  air pollution.
- iv. Public  Complaints  regarding  air  pollution  issues  are  taken  through  'Sameer  App', 'Emails'(Aircomplaints.cpcb@gov.in)  and  'Social  Media  Networks'  (Facebook  and Twitter) and are being forwarded to enforcement agencies for redressal.
- v. Crowd sourcing of innovative ideas/ suggestions/proposals from public is being done to strengthen efforts for improving air quality in Delhi-NCR.
- vi. Air quality information collection and dissemination are done from a centralized location. It provides real time air quality status to all stakeholders.
- vii. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change is implementing Environment Education, Awareness and Training scheme with the objective to promote environmental awareness  among all  sections  of  the  society  and  to  mobilize  people's  participation  for conservation of environment. Under the National Green Corps (NGC) programme of the Ministry, about one lakh schools have been identified as Eco-clubs, wherein, nearly thirty lakh students are actively participating in various environment protection and conservation activities, including the issues related to the air pollution.
- viii. Further, the Ministry has launched the Green Good Deed (GGDs) movement in January 2018  which  is  social  movement  with  the  aim  of  bringing  about  mass  environmental awareness in the society at all levels.

(d) & (e)As a result of steps taken by the Central Government in Delhi, 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. Analysis  of  Ambient  air  quality  data  of  Delhi monitored under Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS) during 20162018 revealed that there is reduction of 7.3 % in PM2.5 levels in 2018 over 2017 and 14.8% over 2016 and reduction of 8.6% in PM10 levels in 2018 over 2017 and 16.5% over 2016.