Lok Sabha Question No. 1337 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-06-28
Subject: Control of Rising Pollution
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Ramcharan Bohra

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION N0. 1337

TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.06.2019

## Control of Rising Pollution

## 1337. SHRI RAMCHARAN BOHRA:

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

- (a) the  steps  being  taken  by  the  Government  to  check  rising  pollution  levels  in  the country;
- (b) the  steps  being  taken  by  the  Government  to  make  people  aware  of  the  ways  and means to control pollution;
- (c) whether any concrete steps have been taken in this regard during the last three years and if so, the details thereof, State-wise;
- (d) if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (e) the extent to which steps taken by the Government have proved beneficial in curbing pollution?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) to  (d)  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 insitu 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 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  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.
- (e) Analysis of Ambient air quality data of Delhi monitored under Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS) during 2016-2018 revealed that, there is 7.3% reduction in PM2.5 levels and 8.6% reduction in PM10 levels in 2018 over 2017 and 8.1% reduction in PM2.5 levels and 8.6% reduction in PM10 levels in 2017 over 2016. Further, the number of good, satisfactory and moderate days in 2018 is 159 as compared to 152 in 2017 and 108 in 2016. Similarly, the number of poor, very poor and severe AQI days have shown a drop in 2018 as compared to 2017 and 2016: 206 in 2018 against 213 in 2017 and 246 in 2016.

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