Lok Sabha Question No. 2879 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-12
Subject: Pollution Level in Delhi
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Ramesh Bidhuri

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 2879

TO BE ANSWERED ON 12.03.2021

## Pollution Level in Delhi

## 2879.  SHRI RAMESH BIDHURI:

state:

- (a) whether  the  level  of  pollution  has  tripled  with  each  passing  year  in  the  National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi;
- (b) if so, the steps taken by Government to tackle the alarming situation;
- (c) whether the Union Government has issued any direction to the Government of NCT of Delhi to mitigate this situation; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

## (a)

The air pollution levels are decreasing in Delhi-NCR region. The 'Good', 'Satisfactory' and 'Moderate'  days  in  Delhibased  on  Air  Quality  Index  (AQI)  increased  to  182  in  2019  in comparison  to  108  in  2016  whereas,  number  of  'Poor',  'Very  Poor'  and  'Severe'  reduced from 246 in 2016 to 183 in 2019.

## (b)

Government has taken several steps for mitigation of air pollution such as introduction of BSVI, expansion of Metro, operationalization of Eastern and Western peripheral expressways, shifting of industries to PNG, waste processing plants, online round the clock monitoring of red  category  industries,  etc.  The  details  of  initiatives  taken  by  government  to  combat  air pollution in Delhi-NCR region is at Annexure .

While  the  Government  is  making  concerted  efforts  to  mitigate  air  pollution,  the citizens should also extend support for the following activities such as:

-  Renew your Pollution Under Control Certificate timely.
-  Plan your errands to reduce travel time and trips.
-  Avoid idling of engines.
-  Adopt clean modes of transport.
-  Prefer cycles/ e-bikes for short trips.
-  Avoid Congested routes.
-  Adopt public transportation wherever feasible.
-  Segregate household waste
-  Never burn waste
-  Compost leaves and garden waste
-  Take recyclable waste to collection centres & earn from waste too
-  Avoid vigorous sweeping of leaves in gardens/ parks - use wide rakes
-  Dispose e-waste responsibly.
-  Adopt green good deeds and encourage others too.
-  Share about ongoing clean initiatives with others.
-  Use public grievance redressal apps to inform air polluting activities to authorities

## (c) and (d)

Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has issued various directions to urban local bodies of Delhi, Delhi Pollution Control Committee, Delhi Transport Department and construction agencies in Delhi-NCR under Section 5 of The Environmental (Protection) Act, 1986. The directions include:

- i. Ensure lifting  of  non-  hazardous  waste  and  place  monitoring  mechanism  to  stop burning of waste
- ii. Stringent actions against illegal industries operating in their jurisdiction
- iii. Dumping of waste in open land is solely the responsibility of land owning agencies
- iv. Construction waste material must be stored in designated place with all precautionary measures.
- v. Strict enforcement of action plans in identified hotspot areas
- vi. Ensure approved fuel is being used by industrial units
- vii. Actions against unauthorized parking of vehicles especially in congested areas.
- viii. Proper  implementation  of  guidelines  on  dust  mitigation  measures  and  sound environment management of C&D  wastes, including deployment of dust suppressant and anti- smog guns, where feasible.
- ix. Ensure  immediate  action  for  complete  redressal  of  Sameer  and  social  media complaints by November 30, 2020
- x. Closely monitor actions taken on air polluting activities reported through Sameer App and social media complaints;
- xi. Ensure  regular  surveillance  and  strict  action  against  illegal  industrial  activities including tyre pyrolysis, burning of tyre & other wastes and dumping of wastes etc.
- xii. To allow only those new Industries establishments which are using cleaner fuel, namely natural gas (PNG/CNG), liquefied petroleum gas, bio gas, propane, butane etc.

## Annexure

## CENTRAL GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES TO COMBAT AIR POLLUTION IN DELHI- NCR

## 1. ACTIONS TO CONTROL VEHICLE POLLUTION

## Introduction of BS-IV and BS-VI Fuel and Emission Norms

-  BS  IV  fuel  and  vehicle  emission  norms  were  introduced  in  April  2017  in  the  entire country. BS VI fuel was introduced in Delhi from April 2018, in NCR from October 2019 and in entire country by April 2020.
-  80% reduction  in  Particulate  Matter  emissions  and  30%  reduction  in  Nitrogen  Oxides emissions in BS IV heavy duty diesel vehicles compared with BS III norms.
-  Leapfrogging to BS VI norms is likely to reduce 50% Particulate Matter emissions and 88.5% Nitrogen Oxide emissions in comparison to BS IV norms. Improvement also in other pollutants and type of vehicles.
-  Nearly  60,000 Cr were spent on switching over to BS VI fuels.

## Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways (EPE and WPE)

-  EPE and WPE work completed at cost of about  17000 Cr and opened for public in May 2018 and November 2018, respectively.
-  30000 to 40000 good vehicles not destined for Delhi  are diverted away from national capital  due  to  WPE  and  EPE.  This  helps  in  reduction  traffic  congestion  and  pollution caused due to non-destined vehicles which earlier used to pass through Delhi.

## Implementation of RFID system at all 13 entry points of Delhi

-  RFID  (radio-frequency identity) system implemented by South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) for collection of toll and Environment Compensation Charges from commercial vehicles entering Delhi.
-  Cost  120 Cr for over the period of next five years (Design, Built, Finance, Operate and Transfer) basis.
-  Strict  enforcement  of  Environmental  Compensation  Charges  on  Delhi-bound  trucks helps  in  control  on  numbers,  including  enforcement  to  check  and  divert  all  non-Delhi bound truck traffic and age limit (as stipulated by Hon'ble Supreme Court).

## Motor Vehicle Act 2019: Increase in penalty for violation of PUC norms

-  With recent amendment in the Motor Vehicle Act and increase in fine from  1000/- to 10000/-for not having PUC certificate, compliance has increased.  Due to this, average number  of  daily  PUC  certificates  issued  has  increased  from  10,000-12,000  to  4000045000.
-  PUC norms compliance and traffic discipline will help in reduction in vehicular pollution in Delhi-NCR, which has a major contribution to pollution levels in Delhi-NCR.

Installation of Vapour Recovery Systems in more than 3000 petrol pumps in NCR is under implementation.

## Delhi Metro Network Augmentation

-  Delhi  Metro  Rail  Corporation  (DMRC)  network  now  covers  about  389  Km  with  285 stations, reaching Delhi-Noida-Greater Noida-Ghaziabad in UP  and Gurgaon to Ballabhgarh in Haryana. It today has over 300 train sets of four, six and eight coaches.
-  Metro network expansion plays an important role in pollution reduction in Delhi-NCR as it shifts more and more private vehicles user to public transport, thus, minimizing use of individual cars as well as by reducing traffic congestion.
-  Environmental friendly Metro at cost of more than  70,000 Cr is used by over 30 lakhs people every day and because of this 4,00,000 vehicles are avoided on roads, thereby, reducing pollution.

## E-mobility Initiatives

-  Department of Heavy Industry is providing subsidy on e-vehicles under Faster Adoption and  Manufacture  of  (Hybrid  &)  Electric  Vehicles  in  India  (FAME  India)  scheme. Commencing from 1 st April 2019, Phase-II of FAME Scheme has been approved with an outlay of Rs. 10,000 Crore for a period of 3 years. 48145 electric vehicles have been sold in the country under FAME-II scheme.
-  Setting up of public charging stations (PCS) had been de-licensed and any individual/entity is free to set up PCS. EESL has installed more than 70 Public charging stations in Delhi NCR.
-  States  advised  to  exempt  road  tax  on  e-vehicles  thereby  reducing  cost  of  purchase  of ecofriendly vehicles.

## 2. ACTIONS TO CONTROL ROAD AND CONSTRUCTION & DEMOLITION DUST

-  Construction & Demolition (C & D) Waste Management Rules were notified in 2016

## 3. ACTIONS FOR C&D WASTE PROCESSING IN DELHI

-  03 C & D Waste Processing Plants (Jahangirpuri, Shastri Park and Ranikhera) with total capacity of 2650 TPD are operational in Delhi.
-  04  new  plants  (Baba  Hardisnagar,  Siraspur,  New  Ranikhera,  Bakkarwala)  are  being established to increase the processing capacity by 3000TPD.
-  At present, 57 lakhMT C&D waste is being processed, with an off-take of 8,83,028 MT.
-  76  mechanized  road  sweeping  machines  (number  of  machines  as  in  September  2019: Delhi - 60, Ghaziabad - 06, Greater Noida - 06, Noida - 04) and 502 water sprinklers to various municipal corporations with support  280 Cr.

## 4. ACTIONS TO CONTROL INDUSTRIAL EMISSIONS

##  Thermal Power Plants

- -Closure of Badarpur Thermal Plant of NTPC led to estimated reduction of 8 tons of particulate matter, 44.7 tons of Sulphur dioxide (SO2) and 128.4 tons of Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx) emissions per day
- -Implementation  of  new  emission  norms  in  thermal  power  plants  will  lead  to reduction  in  emission  of  particulate  matter  by 92  tons ,  Sulphur  dioxide  (SO 2 )  by 898tons and Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx) by 474 tons per day in NCR Delhi.
-  SO2  and  NOx  standards  for  industrial  boilers  and  Five  Industrial  Sectors  (Ceramic, Foundry,  Glass,  Lime  Kiln  &  Reheating  Furnace)  introduced.  Out  of  1511  operational industries in these sectors in Delhi-NCR, 1388 units have reported compliance with the norms.
-  It is estimated that ban on use of petcoke in NCR has led to 48% reduction in total PM emission as compared to using Furnace Oil.
-  Out of 5147 industrial units in Delhi NCR,3074 have shifted to PNG.
-  Out of 621 Red Category Air Polluting Units in Delhi NCR, OCEMS have been installed and connected to CPCB server by 563 units.
-  So far2783 Brick kilns in NCR have converted to Zig-Zag technology. (30 - 40% reduction)

## 5. ACTIONS FOR SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT

-  Solid Waste Management Rules have been revamped in 2016
-  Out of 10470 TPD municipal solid waste generated in Delhi, About 10466 TPD waste is  being  collected,  5193  TPD  is  being  treated  and  5276  TPD  waste  is  being Landfilled.
-  More than 5000 TPD Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is treated at 03 waste to energy (59 MW) plants located in Ghazipur (1300TPD, 12 MW), Okhla (1950 TPD, 23MW) and Bawana (2000TPD, 24MW).
-  18 compost  plants and 9 Bio-methanation plants are operations in Delhi is operational.  For  treating  remaining  waste,  following  actions  have  been  taken  by Municipal Corporation of Delhi
- -An integrated waste  processing  plant  to  generate  12MW  of  Power  and  process 2000 TPD waste is proposed at GhondaGujran through Joint Venture by EDMC with NTPC.
- -Waste to Energy plant at Tehkhand for 2000 TPD MSW has been awarded and project is targeted to be completed by December, 2021.
- -100  TPD  Bio  methanationplant  for  treating  cattle  dung  at  Ghazipurhas  been awarded (EDMC)
-  Bio  mining  of  three  dumpsites  at  Bhalsawa,  Okhla  and  Ghazipur.  Work  for  bio mining has been initiated at these three sites.

## 6. MEASURES TO CONTROL OF STUBBLE BURNING

-  In-  situ  Management  of  Crop  Residue: A  Central  sector  scheme  launched  by Ministry  of  Agriculture  &  Farmers  Welfare  in  2018,  ' Promotion  of  Agricultural Mechanization for in-situ Management of Crop Residue in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh and NCT of Delhi' to  address air pollution due to stubble burning. The Scheme has been approved for continuation during 2020-21 with an outlay of Rs. 600 crores.
-  70,449  machines  have  been  distributed  so  far  along  with  establishment  of28,  907 Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs) in Punjab, Haryana, U. P. and Delhi
-  In terms of Active Fire Events, stubble burning incidents has reduced by 25% (1652 AFEs) in comparison to 2019 in Haryana.

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