Lok Sabha Question No. 2310 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-13
Subject: Effectiveness of Smog Towers
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: K. Muraleedharan, Hema Malini, Ramesh Bidhuri, Dushyant Singh

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 2310

TO BE ANSWERED ON13.12.2021

## Effectiveness of Smog Towers

## 2310. SHRI K. MURALEEDHARAN:

SHRIMATI HEMA MALINI:

SHRI RAMESH BIDHURI:

SHRI DUSHYANT SINGH:

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  any  plan  for  the  removal  of  penal  provisions  on  farmers under the Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Act, 2021, if so, the details thereof;;
- (b) the details of very poor and severe Air Quality Index recorded, State-wise in the country from January 2021 to November 2021; and
- (c) whether the Government is aware of installation of smog towers for purifying the air in Delhi, if so, the effectiveness of the smog tower to purify the air;
- (d) whether several steps for mitigation of air pollution in the National Capital Region and surrounding areas have been taken by the Commission on Air Quality Management, if so, the  details  thereof  and  whether  the  said  steps  have  shown  desired  outcomes,  if  so,  the details thereof;
- (e) whether the Government has issued any guidelines for utilisation of ash; and
- (f) the steps taken by the Government for review of eco friendly ways of ash utilization?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a)

The 'Commission for Air Quality  Management  in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Act, 2021' {No. 29 of 2021} stipulates as under:

…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

14(1) Any non-compliance or contravention of any provisions of this Act, rules thereunder or any  order  or  direction  issued  by  the  Commission,  shall  be  an  offence  punishable  with imprisonment for a term which may extend upto five years or with fine which may extend upto one crore rupees or with both:

Provided that the provisions of this section shall not apply to any farmers for causing air pollution by stubble burning or mismanagement of agricultural residue.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Therefore,  the  penalprovisions  of  the  Act  does  not  apply  to  any  farmer  for  causing  air pollution by stubble burning or mismanagement of agricultural residue.

## (b)

Ambient air quality monitoring network of country presently have 1193 locations (Manual + CAAQM Stations) covering 452 cities in 28 States and 7 UTs. Non-attainment cities have been identified based on ambient air quality levels exceeding National Ambient Air Quality Standards for 05 consecutive years.

Air  Quality  Index  (AQI)  data  of  most  of  the  States  in  the  country  during  January  to November 2021 reveals that the number of Good, Moderate and Satisfactory days are more than Poor, Very Poor and Severe days. Moreover, out of 165 cities, 67 cities did not have any very poor or severe days during January to November 2021. Distribution on days in various categories of these cities is given at Annexure-I.

## (c)

The  Hon'ble  Supreme  Court  vide  its  order  dated  13.01.2020  in  Writ  Petition  (Civil) 13029/1985 had directed for installation of two smog towers. In compliance to the orders of the Hon'ble Supreme Court, two experimental pilot projects of smog tower are operational. The smog tower is intended for localized reduction of PM2.5 and PM10.

## (d)

The  Commission  on  Air  Quality  Management  in  NCR  and  Adjoining  Areas  (CAQM)  has taken up the following matters with all stakeholders including State Governments to improve air quality in NCR and adjoining areas:

1. Industrial Pollution
2. Vehicular Pollution
3. Dust from Construction and Demolition
4. Dust from Road and Open Areas
5. Biomass/Municipal Solid Waste burning/Fires in SLF sites and
6. Stubble Burning

The  Commission  on  Air  Quality  Management  in  NCR  and  Adjoining  Areas  (CAQM)  has developed a framework and action plan for effective prevention and control of air pollution in NCR Region and Adjoining Area.Severalsteps takenis given as Annexure-

The Commission have been taken various steps which inter alia include:

- (i) Directions to all the concerned agencies to strictly enforce the GRAP measures with immediate effect in Delhi - NCR,
- (ii) Constitution of specialized Enforcement Task Force for each of the States/ GNCTD for the respective jurisdiction in NCR to implement, enforce, monitor and report the compliance status of various statutory directions and orders issued by the Commission
- (iii) Constitution  of  inter-departmental  inspection  teams  /  flying  squads  to  report  to Enforcement  Task  Force  for  punitive  actions  including  closure  of  units  /activities which are found grossly violating the standards / norms
- (iv) Directions to the concerned States and agencies on steps for effective control of air pollution in the wake of prevailing air quality scenario in Delhi-NCR.

Several directions issued by CAQM is available https://caqm.nic.in/Index1.aspx?lid=1073&lsid=1070&pid=1062&lev=2&langid=1.

Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has issued guidelines for disposal  and  utilisation  of  fly  ash  for  reclamation  of  low  lying  Areas  and  in  stowing  of abandoned mines/quarries on 28th August, 2019.

Ministry of Power issued guidelines for supply of fly ash to the end users by power plants to increase fly ash utilisation on 22 nd September, 2021 and 8 th November, 2021.

- (f) Eco  friendly  use  of  Fly  ashhas  been  stipulated  in  the  Fly  ash  notification,  1999.  Vide Notification  dated  22  April,  2021,  MoEF&CC  has  reviewed  the  existing  list  and  a  draft

notification including the followings has been issued:

- i. Fly ash based products viz. bricks, blocks, tiles, fibre cement sheets, pipes, boards, panels ;
- ii. Cement manufacturing, ready mix concrete;
- iii. Construction of road and fly over embankment, Ash and Geo-polymer based construction material;
- iv. Construction of dam;
- v. Filling up of low lying area;
- vi. Filling of mine voids;
- vii. Manufacturing of sintered/ cold bonded ash aggregate;
- viii. Agriculture in a controlled manner based on soil testing;
- ix. Construction of shoreline protection structures in coastal districts;
- x. Export of ash to other countries;
- xi. Any other eco-friendly purpose as notified from time to time.

*****

## Annexure-I

ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  (b)  OF  THE  LOK  SABHA  UN-STARRED QUESTION NO. 2310 DUE FOR REPLY ON 13.12.2021 REGARDING 'EFFECTIVENESS OF  SMOG  TOWERS'  BY  SHRI  K.  MURALEEDHARAN,  SHRIMATI  HEMA  MALINI, SHRI  RAMESH  BIDHURI  AND  SHRI  DUSHYANT  SINGH  HON'BLE  MEMBERS  OF PARLIAMENT

Number of days in different categories of Air Quality Index from January to November 2021

| S. No.               | State              |                | Good           | Satisfactory   | Moderate       | Poor Very Poor   | Severe         | Total no. of   |
|----------------------|--------------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|------------------|----------------|----------------|
|                      | City               | (0-50)         | (51-100)       | (101-200)      | (201- 300)     | (301- 400)       | (>401)         | Days           |
|                      |                    | Number of Days | Number of Days | Number of Days | Number of Days | Number of Days   | Number of Days | Number of Days |
| 1. 2. 3.             | Amaravati          | 179            | 103            | 42             | 3              | 0                | 0              | 327            |
| Andhra Pradesh       | Rajamahendrav aram | 137            | 106            | 71             | 6              | 0                | 0              | 320            |
| Andhra Pradesh       | Tirupati           | 166            | 112            | 30             | 0              | 0                | 0              | 308            |
| 4.                   | Visakhapatnam      | 44             | 126            | 123            | 18             | 0                | 0              | 311            |
| 5. Arunachal Pradesh | Naharlagun         | 54             | 26             | 13             | 1              | 0                | 0              | 94             |
| 6. Assam             | Guwahati           | 83             | 104            | 68             | 55             | 23               | 1              | 334            |
| 7. 10. 11. 12.       | Bettiah            | 4              | 17             | 0              | 2              | 4                | 0              | 27             |
| 8.                   | Bhagalpur          | 0              | 0              | 0              | 6              | 2                | 0              | 8              |
| 9.                   | Bihar Sharif       | 1              | 10             | 2              | 0              | 0                | 1              | 14             |
|                      | Chhapra            | 0              | 0              | 0              | 0              | 5                | 1              | 6              |
|                      | Darbhanga          | 7              | 6              | 6              | 4              | 12               | 0              | 35             |
|                      | Gaya               | 32             | 151            | 131            | 15             | 0                | 0              | 329            |
| 13.                  | Hajipur            | 9              | 86             | 116            | 70             | 9                | 0              | 290            |
| 14.                  | Katihar            | 0              | 0              | 0              | 2              | 3                | 1              | 6              |
| Bihar 15.            | Kishanganj         | 0              | 0              | 1              | 4              | 1                | 0              | 6              |
| 16.                  | Motihari           | 14             | 5              | 0              | 2              | 12               | 2              | 35             |
| 17.                  | Munger             | 4              | 80             | 98             | 48             | 16               | 0              | 246            |
| 18.                  | Muzaffarpur        | 3              | 7              | 18             | 15             | 15               | 0              | 58             |
| 19.                  | Patna              | 14             | 122            | 85             | 92             | 20               | 0              | 333            |
| 20.                  | Purnia             | 0              | 0              | 1              | 2              | 5                | 0              | 8              |
| 21.                  | Rajgir             | 0              | 0              | 1              | 2              | 4                | 0              | 7              |
| 22.                  | Sasaram            | 0              | 0              | 5              | 7              | 3                | 1              | 16             |
| 23.                  | Siwan              | 0              | 0              | 0              | 0              | 4                | 4              | 8              |
| 24. Chandigarh       | Chandigarh         | 51             | 123            | 151            | 5              | 0                | 0              | 330            |
| 25.                  | Bhilai             | 0              | 8              | 0              | 0              | 0                | 0              | 8              |
| Chhattisgarh 26.     | Bilaspur           | 7              | 50             | 9              | 0              | 0                | 0              | 66             |
| 27. Delhi            | Delhi              | 1              | 72             | 124            | 70             | 50               | 17             | 334            |
| 28.                  | Ahmedabad          | 4              | 145            | 145            | 34             | 2                | 0              | 330            |
| 29.                  | Ankleshwar         | 3              | 92             | 90             | 68             | 11               | 0              | 264            |
| Gujarat 30.          | Gandhinagar        | 47             | 176            | 87             | 1              | 0                | 0              | 311            |
| 31.                  | Nandesari          | 15             | 97             | 78             | 12             | 5                | 0              | 207            |
| 32.                  | Vapi               | 52             | 108            | 112            | 19             | 7                | 0              | 298            |
| 33.                  | Vatva              | 2              | 94             | 145            | 64             | 13               | 0              | 318            |
| 34.                  | Ambala             | 19             | 136            | 120            | 34             | 7                | 0              | 316            |
| 35.                  | Bahadurgarh        | 14             | 84             | 99             | 75             | 39               | 3              | 314            |
| 36.                  | Ballabgarh         | 9              | 94             | 108            | 66             | 24               | 7              | 308            |
| 37.                  | Bhiwani            | 11             | 94             | 154            | 28             | 10               | 2              | 299            |
| 38.                  | CharkhiDadri       | 21             | 62             | 143            | 41             | 27               | 3              | 297            |
| 39.                  | Dharuhera          | 3              | 65             |                |                |                  |                | 281            |
| Haryana 40.          | Faridabad          |                | 68             | 103 114        | 81 83          | 28               | 1              | 332            |
| 41.                  | Fatehabad          | 3              |                |                |                | 48               | 16             |                |
| 42.                  |                    | 26             | 73             | 136            | 52             | 19               | 1              | 307            |
|                      | Gurugram           | 6              | 90             | 118            | 66             | 49               | 5              | 334 310        |
| 43.                  | Hisar              | 17             | 66             | 111            | 71             | 38               | 7              |                |
| 44.                  | Jind               | 31             | 62             | 113            | 60             | 30               | 11             | 307 307        |
| 45. 46.              | Kaithal Karnal     | 16 27          | 106 112        | 134            | 37 111 48      | 11 6             | 3 0            | 304            |

| State     | City                | Good    | Satisfactory   | Moderate   | Poor       | Very Poor   | Severe   | Total no. of   |
|-----------|---------------------|---------|----------------|------------|------------|-------------|----------|----------------|
| State     | City                | (0-50)  | (51-100)       | (101-200)  | (201- 300) | (301- 400)  | (>401)   | Days           |
| State     | Number              | Number  | Number         | Number     | Number     | Number      | Number   | Number         |
|           | Kurukshetra         | 37      | 81             | 117        | of Days 64 | 17          | 0        | 316            |
|           | Mandikhera          | 40      | 127            | 95         | 23         | 7           | 0        | 292            |
|           | Manesar             | 7       | 60             | 96         | 81         | 31          | 3        | 278            |
|           | Narnaul             | 23      | 55             | 111        | 69         | 23          | 0        | 281            |
|           | Palwal              | 16      | 111            | 139        | 19         | 2           | 0        | 287            |
|           | Panchkula           | 53      | 157            | 77         | 17         | 0           | 0        | 304            |
|           | Panipat             | 14      | 70             | 125        | 42         | 21          | 5        | 277            |
|           | Rohtak              | 0       | 89             | 124        | 52         | 41          | 5        | 311            |
|           | Sirsa               | 23      | 110            | 140        | 37         | 7           | 0        | 317            |
|           | Sonipat             | 9       | 39             | 147        | 75         | 23          | 4        | 297            |
|           | Yamunanagar         | 5       | 55             | 149        | 81         | 20          | 0        | 310            |
| Jammu and |                     |         |                |            | 6          | 0           | 0        | 275            |
| Kashmir   | Srinagar            | 57      | 133            | 79         |            | 0           | 0        | 88             |
| Jharkhand | Jorapokhar Bagalkot | 13 223  | 23 63          | 50 2       | 2 0        | 0           | 0        | 288            |
|           | Bengaluru           | 73      | 227            | 34         | 0          | 0           | 0        | 334            |
|           | Bidar               | 48      | 61             | 46         | 0          | 0           | 0        | 155            |
|           | Chamarajanagar      | 174     | 92             | 6          | 0          | 0           | 0        | 272            |
|           | Chikkaballapur      | 165     | 102            | 37         | 0          | 0           | 0        | 304            |
|           | Chikkamagaluru      | 182     | 100            | 7          | 0          | 0           | 0        | 289            |
|           | Davanagere          | 128     | 56             | 18         | 0          | 0           | 0        | 202            |
|           | Gadag               | 122     | 53             | 3          | 0          | 1           | 0        | 179            |
|           | Hassan              | 87      | 106            | 22         | 0          | 0           | 0        | 215            |
|           | Hubballi            | 125     | 113            | 68         | 1          | 0           | 0        | 307            |
| Karnataka | Kalaburgi           | 82      | 66             | 63         | 3          | 0           | 0        | 214            |
| Karnataka | Kolar               | 67      | 121            | 6          | 0          | 0           | 0        | 194            |
| Karnataka | Koppal              | 76      | 188            | 24         | 0          | 0           | 0        | 288            |
| Karnataka | Mangalore           | 44      | 137            | 29         | 0          | 0           | 0        | 210            |
| Karnataka | Madikeri            | 212     | 101            | 7          | 0          | 0           | 0        | 320            |
| Karnataka | Mysuru              | 143     | 123            | 8          | 0          | 0           | 0        | 274            |
| Karnataka | Raichur             | 90      | 81             | 90         | 2          | 0           | 0        | 263            |
| Karnataka | Ramanagara          | 150     | 73             | 23         | 2          | 0           | 0        | 248            |
| Karnataka | Shivamogga          | 170     | 100            | 5          | 1          | 0           | 0        | 276            |
| Karnataka | Udupi               | 6       | 60             | 47         | 22         | 0           | 2        | 137            |
| Karnataka | Vijayapura          | 100     | 143            | 1          | 0          | 0           | 0        | 244            |
|           | Yadgir Eloor        | 144 101 | 113 155        | 47 7       | 1 0        | 0 0         | 0 0      | 305 263        |
|           | Ernakulam           | 131     | 113            | 19         | 0          | 0           | 0        | 263            |
|           | Kannur              | 92      | 140            | 67         | 1          | 0           | 0        | 300            |
|           | Kochi               | 136     | 78             | 14         | 0          | 0           | 0        | 228            |
| Kerala    | Kollam              | 26      | 213            | 66         | 2          | 0           | 0        | 307            |
|           | Kozhikode           | 108     | 196            | 1          | 0          | 1           | 1        | 307            |
|           | Thiruvananthap      | 168     | 154            |            |            | 0           | 0        |                |
|           | uram                |         |                | 8          | 1          |             |          | 331            |
|           | Thrissur Bhopal     | 45 45   | 171 104        | 27 147     | 0 28       | 0 5         | 0 0      | 243 329        |
|           | Damoh               | 141     | 72             | 38         | 16         | 0           | 0        | 267            |
|           | Dewas               | 69      | 139            | 87         | 15         | 0           | 0        | 310            |
|           | Gwalior             | 34      | 110            | 131        | 34         | 20          | 0        | 329            |
|           | Indore              | 32      | 130            | 129        | 34         | 0           | 0        | 325            |
|           |                     | 45      | 123            | 119        | 37         | 4           | 0        | 328            |
| Madhya    | Jabalpur            | 43      | 101            | 97         | 78         | 11          | 0        | 330            |
| Pradesh   | Katni Maihar        | 65      | 52             | 8          | 1          | 0           | 0        | 126            |
|           | Mandideep           | 102     | 95             | 85         | 18         | 0           | 0        | 300 332        |
|           | Pithampur           | 18      | 172            | 124        | 18         | 0           | 0        | 286            |
|           | Ratlam              | 55      | 91             | 131        | 9          | 0           | 0        | 303            |
|           | Sagar               | 159     | 100            | 35         | 8          | 1           | 0        | 307            |
|           | Satna Singrauli     | 42 42   | 235 84         | 30 65      | 0 84       | 0 44        | 0 0      | 319            |

| S. No.    | State       | City                    | Good    | Satisfactory   | Moderate             | Poor Very Poor   | Severe   | Total no. of   |
|-----------|-------------|-------------------------|---------|----------------|----------------------|------------------|----------|----------------|
| S. No.    | State       | City                    | (0-50)  | (51-100)       | (101-200) (201- 300) | (301- 400)       | (>401)   | Days           |
| 104.      | State       | Ujjain                  | 5       | 116 166        | Number of Days 39    | 0                | 0        | 326            |
| 105.      |             | Aurangabad              | 5       | 186 20         | 0                    | 2                | 0        | 213            |
| 106.      |             | Chandrapur              | 108 93  | 118            | 13                   | 0                | 0        | 332            |
| 107.      |             | Kalyan                  | 60 52   | 84             | 52                   | 8                | 0        | 256            |
| 108.      |             | Mumbai                  | 37 161  | 109            | 27                   | 0                | 0        | 334            |
| 109.      |             | Nagpur                  | 13 137  | 3              | 0                    | 0                | 0        | 153            |
| 110.      | Maharashtra | Nashik                  | 107 119 | 59             | 3                    | 0                | 0        | 288            |
| 111.      |             | Navi Mumbai             | 47      | 112 112        | 44                   | 11               | 0        | 326            |
| 112.      |             | Pune                    | 4       | 226 102        | 2                    | 0                | 0        | 334            |
| 113.      |             | Solapur                 | 70      | 29 67          | 1                    | 0                | 0        | 167            |
| 114.      |             | Thane                   | 8       | 59 106         | 69                   | 9                | 0        | 251            |
| 115.      | Meghalaya   |                         | 121     | 19 4           |                      | 0 0              | 0        | 144            |
| 116.      | Mizoram     | Shillong                | 72      | 23             | 1                    | 0                | 0        | 287            |
| 117.      | Nagaland    | Aizawl Kohima           | 191 116 | 97 68          | 7                    | 0                | 0        | 288            |
| 118.      |             | Brajrajnagar            | 43      | 108 56         | 9                    | 1                | 0        | 217            |
| 119.      | Odisha      | Talcher                 | 34 137  | 128            | 8                    | 0                | 0        | 307            |
| 120.      |             | Puducherry              | 168 129 | 7              | 0                    |                  | 0        | 304            |
| 121.      | Puducherry  | Amritsar                | 37 137  | 116            | 23                   | 0 1              | 0        | 314            |
| 122.      |             | Bathinda                | 68      | 78 88          | 20                   | 0                | 0        | 254            |
| 123.      |             | Jalandhar               | 28      | 142 127        | 28                   | 1                | 0        | 326            |
| 124.      |             | Khanna                  | 37      | 154 120        | 14                   | 1                | 0        | 326            |
| 125.      | Punjab      | Ludhiana                | 21 147  | 121            | 29                   | 1                | 0        | 319            |
| 126.      |             | MandiGobindgar h        | 55 76   | 129            | 44                   | 1                | 0        | 305            |
| 127.      |             | Patiala                 | 61      | 102 136        | 22                   | 4                | 0        | 325            |
| 128.      |             | Rupnagar                | 24 143  | 83             | 11                   | 1                | 1        | 263            |
| 129.      |             | Ajmer                   | 15 191  | 106            | 4                    | 1                | 0        | 317            |
| 130.      |             | Alwar                   | 21      | 226 80         | 4                    | 0                | 0        | 331            |
| 131.      |             | Bhiwadi                 | 1 47    | 89             | 108                  | 73               | 6        | 324            |
| 132.      |             | Jaipur                  | 22      | 121 164        | 22                   | 4                | 0        | 333            |
| 133.      | Rajasthan   | Jodhpur                 | 0 69    | 184            | 69                   | 7                | 0        | 329            |
| 134.      |             | Kota                    | 25 138  | 124            | 31                   | 8                | 0        | 326            |
| 135.      |             | Pali                    | 2 138   | 167            | 20                   | 2                | 0        | 329            |
| 136.      |             | Udaipur                 | 15 126  | 166            | 15                   | 4                | 0        | 326            |
| 137.      | Tamil Nadu  | Chennai                 | 69 250  | 15             | 0                    | 0                | 0        | 334            |
| 138.      |             | Coimbatore              | 6 31    | 10             | 0                    | 0                | 0        | 47             |
| 139.      |             | Gummidipoondi           | 17      | 102 73         | 5                    | 0                | 0        | 197            |
| 140.      |             | Thoothukudi             |         | 164 8          | 0                    | 0                | 0        | 298            |
| 141.      | Telangana   |                         | 126 109 | 98             | 127                  | 0 0              | 0        | 334            |
| 142. 143. | Tripura     | Hyderabad Agartala Agra | 119 44  | 66 77 83 78    | 31 77                | 4 23             | 0 6      | 297 311        |
| 144. 145. |             | Baghpat                 | 22      | 53             | 85 80                | 58               | 11       | 309            |
| 146.      |             |                         |         | 90 18          |                      |                  |          | 328            |
| 147.      |             | Bulandshahr Firozabad   | 43      | 56             | 74                   | 53               | 12       | 129            |
|           |             | Ghaziabad               | 57 9    | 23 59          | 23                   | 3                | 5        |                |
| 148. 149. |             | 89                      | 5       | 95             | 77                   | 74               | 20       | 334 142        |
| 150.      |             | Gorakhpur               |         | 23 100         | 15                   | 10               | 0 14     | 333            |
| 151.      | Uttar       | Greater Noida Hapur     | 10 37   | 68 98 122      | 72 33                | 69 15            | 8        | 296            |
| 152.      | Pradesh     | Kanpur                  |         | 105 60         | 52                   | 31               | 2        | 334            |
| 153. 154. |             |                         | 67 20   |                |                      | 28               |          |                |
|           |             | Lucknow                 |         | 116 90         | 77                   |                  | 2        | 333 334        |
| 155.      |             | Meerut                  | 27 17   | 70 91 84       | 84 72                | 55 43            | 7 4      | 270            |
| 156.      |             | Moradabad               | 40      | 50 68          | 73                   | 40               | 2        | 326            |
|           |             | Muzaffarnagar           |         | 103 129        |                      |                  |          | 332            |
| 157.      |             | Noida                   | 4       | 70             | 53                   | 59               | 17       | 178            |
| 158.      |             | Prayagraj               | 68      | 53 25          | 24                   | 8                | 0        | 326            |
| 159.      |             | Varanasi                | 73      | 74             | 94                   | 12               | 0        |                |
|           |             | Vrindavan               |         | 73 20          | 23                   | 4                |          | 115            |
| 160.      | West Bengal | Asansol                 | 38 50   | 23 101 102     | 45                   | 6                | 7 0      | 304            |

| S. No.   | State   | City     | Good (0-50)    | Satisfactory (51-100)   | Moderate (101-200)   | Poor (201- 300)   | Very Poor (301- 400)   | Severe (>401)   | Total no. of Days   |
|----------|---------|----------|----------------|-------------------------|----------------------|-------------------|------------------------|-----------------|---------------------|
|          |         |          | Number of Days | Number of Days          | Number of Days       | Number of Days    | Number of Days         | Number of Days  | Number of Days      |
| 161.     |         | Durgapur | 19             | 46                      | 108                  | 63                | 33                     | 0               | 269                 |
| 162.     |         | Haldia   | 124            | 78                      | 72                   | 16                | 1                      | 0               | 291                 |
| 163.     |         | Howrah   | 92             | 101                     | 64                   | 64                | 12                     | 0               | 333                 |
| 164.     |         | Kolkata  | 87             | 101                     | 83                   | 56                | 7                      | 0               | 334                 |
| 165.     |         | Siliguri | 96             | 86                      | 45                   | 45                | 30                     | 0               | 302                 |

## Annexure-II

ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  (d)  OF  THE  LOK  SABHA  UN-STARRED QUESTION NO. 2310 DUE FOR REPLY ON 13.12.2021 REGARDING 'EFFECTIVENESS OF  SMOG  TOWERS'  BY  SHRI  K.  MURALEEDHARAN,  SHRIMATI  HEMA  MALINI, SHRI  RAMESH  BIDHURI  AND  SHRI  DUSHYANT  SINGH  HON'BLE  MEMBERS  OF PARLIAMENT

Steps taken Commission on Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas to improve air quality in NCR and adjoining areas

The major sources of air pollution in Delhi-NCR and adjoining areas which aggravate during the winter due to unfavourable meteorological conditions include, industrial pollution, vehicular pollution, dust from construction and demolition activities, road and open areas dust, biomass burning, stubble burning, municipal solid waste burning, fires in sanitary landfills etc. The Commission has been continuously taking up the matters with various stake holders concerned including the governments of NCR States namely Govemments, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan and NCTD as well as Government of Punjab.

## Crop Residue Management:

-  Deliberations  and  discussions  held  in  series  of  meetings  with  all  stakeholders including  State  Governments  of  NCR  and  GNCTD  and  a  framework  for  effective prevention and control of Stubble Burning has been developed.
-  Directions  were  issued  to  the  Governments  of  NCR  States  and  GNCTD  on 10.06.2A21 to prepare state specific detailed and monitorable action plans, based on following six components of the framework i.e. ln-situ Crop Residue Management, Ex-situ  Crop  Residue  Management,  Prohibition  of  Stubble/Crop  Residue  Burning, Effective monitoring/enforcement, Plans / Schemes to reduce the generation of paddy straw and IEC activities for the Plan of Action. Based on the framework, detailed state specific action plans have been developed by Government of NCR States and NCTD.
-  Statutory  directions  to  the  Chief  Secretaries  ofGovernments  of  NCR  states  and GNCTD on 16.09.2021 for "lmplementation, Monitoring and periodic review of the respective plan of action for prevention and control of stubble burning".
-  Directions were also issued by the Commission to the Government of NCR States and
-  GNCTD on 16.08.2021 lo ensure adoption and application of the standard protocol for  estimation  of  Crop  Residue  Burning  Fire  Events  using  Satellite  Data.  The Commission has been closely monitoring the daily fire counts and taking up with the State Governments concerned, on a daily basis for enforcement actions.
-  Ex-situ  Crop  Residue  Management  the  Commission  issued  advisories  to  the  State Governments of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on28.07.2021. The Commission has also advised State Governments to establish an ecosystem and robust supply chain mechanism to boost ex-situ utilisation of straw.
-  Directions were also issued on 17.09.2021 to all the 11 Thermal Power Plants in NCR and  adjoining  areas  within  300km  of  Delhi  for  "Ex-Situ  Paddy  Straw  Management through co-firing of biomass pellets/torrefied pellets (with focus on paddy straw) in coal based thermal power plants".

## Industrial Pollution:

-  Commission  has  convened  several  meetings  withthe  concerned  stakeholders  (NCR States,  GNCT  of  Delhi,  CPCB,  SPCBs  of  NCR  States  andDelhi  Pollution  Control Committee)  with  respect  to  the  shifting  of  industries  to  PNG/Cleanerfuels  and ensuring strict vigil on the use of unapproved fuels in NCR  by various enforcementagencies. With the persistent efforts of the Commission, all the identified industries in Delhihas completely shifted to the Cleaner fuels. The Commission in this regard has issueddirections to the State Governments of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan  on  12.08.2021for  Shifting  of  industries  operating  in  NCR  districts  to PNG/cleaner  fuels.  The  industries  whichhave  gas  supply  but  are  still  using  other polluting fuels may be monitored for switching over togas at the earliest.

## Abatement of pollution from vehicles:

-  Commission has advised the concernedstates and GNCTD for ensuring the seamless Traffic Management in their jurisdiction. StateGovernments / Govt. of NCT of Delhi have  been  advised  to constitute a dedicated task forcewith representatives of Departments  concerned  to  continuously  monitor  and  take  stepsregularly  to  ensure smooth traffic management, including developing an "intelligent TrafficManagement System" (ITMS). The Commission has also issued advisory for "Mandatingprocurement  of  zero  emission  and  e-vehicles"  to  give  a  further  push  to clean  technologies  intransport  sector  and  a  gradual  shift  towards  zero  emission vehicles/  e-mobility  and  is  regularlymonitoring  its  progress.  The  Commission  has asked the concerned states and GNCTD tostrictly ensure that Petrol/Diesel vehicles more than  15110  years  old  do  not  ply  in  NCR.  TheConcerned  States  and  GNCTD have been asked by the Commission for effectiveimplementation of the new Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUCC) regime in complianceof the central Motor Vehicles Rules (Amendment) Rules, 2021 dated 14.06.2021.

## Construction and Demolition

-  Activities  the  Commission  has  issued  directions  for  "Control/Prevention  of  Air Pollution from Construction and Demolition activities" with illustrative dust control / mitigative measures like Monitoring through a dedicated Web- portal , Video fencing of  projects,  installation  of  Anti-smog  guns  and  screens  at  construction  sites,  Use  of Dust-suppressants  and  water  mist,  Transportation  of  C&D  materials  in  covered vehicles, installation of air quality monitoring sensors in project sites and Self-audit and certification mechanism by the agencies concerned.

## Dust from Roads and Open areas

-  Commission issued Advisories andDirections to concerned States/UT, NHAI, DDA and  municipal  corporations/  council  of  GNCTDfor setting-up  of  "Dust  Control  and Management Cell" tasked with monitoring andimplementation of various dust control measures in all such road projects/activities includingmechanized sweeping of roads, Scientific disposal of dust collected in designated sites llandfills., Sprinkling of dust suppressants and water on roads and open areas, propermaintenance of roads, Nonpaved road sides to be paved or converted into green areas,Greening of central verges, Preference  to  cemented  roads  over  bituminous  roads  especiallyin  industrial  Areas,

Monitoring and Compliance of dust control measures and plantation ofTrees/Greening on a large scale.

## Bio-mass/Municipal Solid Waste Burning and fires in Landfill Sites:

-  Commission  has  sought  State-  wise  action  plan  for  control  of  Bio-mass/Municipal Solid Waste  Burning  and  fires  in Landfill Sites,  focusing  on  deployment  of enforcement  teams,  quick  complaint  redressals  and  corrective  actions  through  lT enabled platforms and for strict compliance of the plan of action.