Lok Sabha Question No. 1904 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-13
Subject: Air Pollution
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Krupal Balaji Tumane, Bhavana Gawali (Patil)

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1904

TO BE ANSWERED ON 13.03.2023

## Air Pollution

## 1904.   SHRI KRUPAL BALAJI TUMANE:

## SHRIMATI BHAVANA PUNDALIKRAO GAWALI:

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

- (a) whether the Government is aware of the untimely deaths due to air pollution in the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof for the last five years, State and year-wise;
- (c) the State and year-wise details of the percentage of urban population exposed to emissions in excess of the standards prescribed by the World Health Organization;
- (d) the  details  of  the  projects  implemented  under  the  'National  Clean  Air  Programme (NCAP)' to achieve the reduction target by the year 2024;
- (e) whether the city specific action plans under the NCAP also include stakeholders from the affected communities and environmentalists and if so, the details thereof, and
- (f) the number of smart cities in which control centres of the Air Quality Monitoring System have been set up for future monitoring of air quality?

## ANSWER

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

(a & b): Many studies by different Organizations/Institutes have been published from time to time, regarding the impact of air pollution on health. These studies are based on secondary data, models and extrapolation of findings from a small sample size to a larger population. However, there are no conclusive data available in the country to establish direct correlation of death/ disease exclusively due to pollution. Health effects of pollution, including air pollution, are synergistic manifestation of factors which include food habits, occupational habits, socioeconomic status, medical history, immunity, heredity, etc., of the individuals.

(c): WHO guidelines for ambient air quality provide a reliable guidance to policy-makers in the entire world. These guidelines are not legally binding, however, standards are country specific targets. The National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) is health based and it is more appropriate to compare the ambient air quality of India with NAAQS rather than with WHO guideline.

Number of cities exceeding National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) on the basis of integrated annual average data of 2021 is given below:

-  Out of 445 cities, one city with respect to SO2, 20 cities for NO2, 273 cities with respect to PM10 exceeded the National Standard.
-  With respect to PM2.5 , out of 300 cities, 107 cities exceeded NAAQS.

(d) to (f): Under National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), cities are required to implement City Clean Air Action Plans for reduction of air pollution as per the annual targets provided to the respective cities in order to achieve overall reduction of 20-30% of Particulate Matter 10 (PM10) concentrations by 2024 with respect to the baseline of 2017.

Implementation  of  city  action  plans  include  conducting  Capacity  Building  and Outreach Programmes in the city for generating awareness for taking citizen centric actions for improving air quality. MoEF&CC has issued guidelines on 10.08.2022 and prescribed a strategy for carrying out capacity building and outreach programmes at National, State and city level under NCAP. Institute of Reputes (IoRs) are engaged for monitoring  city  level  action  plans  and  to  provide  technical  assistance  to  City  for implementation of action plan.

Under National Air  Quality  Monitoring Programme, air quality  monitoring  stations have been set up in 94 cities out of 100 cities covered under Smart City Mission, for monitoring ambient air quality.

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