Lok Sabha Question No. 1 (STARRED), answered on 2022-07-18
Subject: Environmental Pollution
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Sanjay Seth

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

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 1

TO BE ANSWERED ON: 18.07.2022

## Environmental Pollution

## *1. SHRI SANJAY SETH

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

- (a) whether  any  scheme has  been  formulated  at  the  national  level  to  curb  the  increasing environmental pollution, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) if not, whether the Government proposes to formulate any scheme in this regard;
- (c) whether,  considering  the  developmental  work  on  the  one  hand  and  large  scale deforestation on the other, any steps have been taken for plantation of new trees and for greater environmental protection;
- (d) whether there is any system to curb environmental pollution increasing through various means; and
- (e) if  so,  the  number  of  people  against  whom  action  has  been  taken  in  Jharkhand  for violation of pollution control norms?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI BHUPENDER YADAV)

- (a) to (e) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARAS  (a)  TO  (e)  OF  THE  LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 1 FOR 18.07.2022 REGARDING 'ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION' RAISED BY SHRI SANJAY SETH, HON'BLE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT.

- (a) & (b) The Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change administers the following Central Sector Scheme to curb environmental pollution:
- (i) Control of Pollution Scheme: The main objective of the Control of Pollution scheme is  to  monitor  air  quality  across  the  country  and  take  appropriate  air  pollution mitigation  measures,  besides  monitoring  water  quality  and  noise  levels  in  the country The Control of Pollution scheme is operational since 2018, the component under the scheme are as mentioned below:
- a. Assistance for Abatement of Pollution to weaker SPCBs/PCCs
- b. National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)
- c. Environmental Monitoring Network Programme
- i. Operation and Maintenance of National Air Quality Monitoring Programme (NAMP) stations
- ii. Operation and Maintenance of Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS)
- iii. National Ambient Noise Monitoring Network (NANMN) strengthening and establishment of New Stations in Million Plus Cities
- iv.
- National Water Monitoring Programme (NWMP)
- d. Research and Outreach Programmes
- (ii) Creation  of  Management  Structure  for  Hazardous  Substance.  The  objective  of  the Scheme is to promote safe management and use of hazardous substances including hazardous chemicals, hazardous wastes and other wastes, in order to avoid damage to health  and  environment.  The  said  Scheme  has  been  operational  since  2017.  The components under the scheme are mentioned below:
- a. SAMPATTI - 'Sustainable  Management  of  Pre-owned  Asset  through  Trade Initiatives': Innovative solutions for municipal solid waste segregation, handling and treatment.
- b. Capacity building of government agencies/organizations/department/civil society/institute with respect to environmentally sound  management  of chemicals and wastes.
- c. Organizing awareness program with various stakeholders for implementation of various waste and chemicals management rules.
- d. Innovative technologies for environmentally sound management of chemicals and wastes.
- e. Setting  up  facilities  for  management  of  biomedical  waste  (CBMWTF)  and treatment, storage and disposal of hazardous waste (TSDF).

(c)  For Increase of forest and tree cover in the country various schemes are implemented by the  Central  and  State  Government/Union  Territory  Administration.  These  include  the National Afforestation Programme (NAP) for regeneration of degraded forest and adjoining areas in the country and Green India Mission (GIM). Afforestation activities are also taken up under  various  programmes/funding  sources  such  as  Compensatory  Afforestation  Funds  in lieu  of  deforestation  due  to  development  activities,  afforestation  activities  under  Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA), National

Agroforestry Policy and Sub-mission on Agro-forestry (SMAF), National Bamboo Mission and National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture.

(d) and (e) Government has taken several steps for mitigation of pollution which include ban on single use plastic, introduction of BS-VI norms for fuel and vehicles since April, 2020, promotion  of  E-vehicles,  cleaner  fuel  such  as  PNG,  zig-zag  technology  for  brick  kilns, Extended  Producer  Responsibility  (EPR)  for  plastic  and  e-waste  management,  real  time monitoring of major industrial sectors, etc. The Ministry has also notified various rules such as  Hazardous  and  other  waste  Management  (HWM)  rules,  E-waste  rules  and  Bio  Medical Waste rules. Various stringent emission and discharge standards have also been notified in this regard.  TheCentral Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and State Pollution Control Boards/ Pollution Control Committees in States and Union Territories respectively regularly monitor the  compliance  of  industrial  emission/effluent  discharges  and  other  operational  activities according to the prescribed standards.

As per information received from Jharkhand Pollution Control Board Environmental Compensation has been imposed on 267 number of industries.

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