Lok Sabha Question No. 2146 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-09
Subject: Ground Level Ozone
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shri G M Harish Balayogi

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2146

TO BE ANSWERED ON 09.12.2024

## Ground Level Ozone

## 2146.   SHRI G M HARISH BALAYOGI:

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

- (a) whether the Government has identified Ground Level Ozone as a major pollutant in urban areas, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government has identified the various sources of Ground Level Ozone, if so, the details thereof, if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether the Government has undertaken any surveys regarding various health ailments caused by exposure to Ground Level Ozone, if so, the details thereof, if not, the reasons therefor;
- (d) whether the Government has undertaken any steps to monitor Ground Level Ozone, if so, the details thereof, if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (e) whether  the  Government  has  any  schemes/initiatives  to  tackle  and  regulate  Ground Level Ozone, if so, the details thereof, if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)

## (a) to (e):

The ambient air quality standards for Ozone (O3) has been notified by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) among one of the twelve (12) pollutants under National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS), 2009. The ambient air quality standards for Ozone (O3) is prescribed as 100  µg/m 3   for  8-hourly  monitored  value  and  180  µg/m 3 for  1-hourly  monitored  value  for industrial, residential, rural and ecological sensitive area. As per the NAAQS, the method of measurement  of  Ozone  (O3)  in  ambient  air  is  UV  photometric,  Chemiluminescence,  and Chemical method.

Ozone  is  a  secondary  pollutant  which  is  formed  in  the  ground  level  through  atmospheric reactions (Troposphere)  in  the  presence  of  sunlight  and  responsible  factors  are  high temperature  and  emissions  of  Oxides  of  Nitrogen  (NOx)  &  Volatile  Organic  Compounds (VOCs). Major sources for NOx include vehicles, power plants and burning of fuel/waste and VOCs are emitted from vehicles, petrol pumps, use of solvents and burning of waste.

The septs taken to control the precursors of ozone, i.e. NOx and VOC emissions are as follow:

-  The introduction of BS VI-compliant vehicles across the country since April, 2020 have reduced NOx emissions as compared to erstwhile BS IV-compliant vehicles, with 70-85%

reduction in the case of 2-wheelers, 25%-68% in the case of 4-wheelers, and 87% in the case of heavy-duty vehicles.

-  Leapfrogging from BS-IV to BS-VI fuel standards in the country to reduce NOx emissions of heavy vehicles.
-  The government is also promoting electric mobility, resulting in zero vehicular emissions, under PM Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement (PM-E Drive).
-  Industrial emission Standards for NOx and VOC have been revised / introduced for various sectors  such  as  Man-made  Fiber  industry,  Fertilizer  Industry,  Pharmaceutical  industry, Paint industry etc.
-  NOx emission standards have also been prescribed for coal/lignite-based thermal power plants, industrial boilers, furnaces, Cement Plant (without co-processing of wastes) and Standalone Clinker Grinding Plants.
-  Vapour Recovery System (VRS) has been installed at all Delhi-NCR petrol pumps, in compliance with the orders of the Hon'ble NGT and Hon'ble Supreme Court. Installation of  VRS minimizes the release of Benzene and other VOC emissions during petroleum refuelling and unloading operations.
-  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.
-  Streamlining the issuance of Pollution Under Control (PUC) Certificate.
-  Banning of burning of biomass and garbage.
-  Implementation  of  waste  management  rules  w.r.t  solid  waste,  bio-medical  waste,  and hazardous wastes etc.
-  Notification of stricter emission norms for Thermal power plants.

Also, Government has launched National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) in 2019 as a national level strategy to reduce air pollution levels across the country. CPCB has identified 130 million plus/non-attainment  cities  (cities  exceeding  NAAQS,  consecutively  for  five  years).  City Specific Clean Air Action Plans have been prepared and rolled out for implementation in all these 130 non-attainment/million plus cities to improve the air quality. These city specific clean air  action  plans  target  city  specific  air  polluting  sources  like  Soil  &  Road  Dust,  Vehicles, Domestic Fuel, MSW Burning, Construction Material and Industries with short-term priority action as well as those to be implemented in a medium to longer time frame along with the responsible  agencies  which  improves  the  ambient  air  quality.  Under  NCAP,  annual  action planning for approved city action plans need to be submitted by concerned Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), which comprise the following actions to control NOx emissions:

-  Use of off-peak passenger travel time to move freight and restrict entry of heavy vehicles into cities during the day.
-  Clean Fuel & Fuel Quality in vehicles
-  Introduction of new electric buses (with proper infrastructure facilities such as charging stations) and CNG buses for public transport which will reduce plying of private vehicles on road and help to curb tail-pipe emissions.
-  CNG  infrastructure  for  auto  gas  supply  in  the  city  and  transition  of  public  transport vehicles to CNG mode.
-  Charging infrastructure for E-vehicles
-  Phase out old vehicles and introduce vehicle scrappage policy.
-  Intensify monitoring of industries to reduce emission by the industries.
-  Shifting of polluting industries.
-  Conversion to CNG/PNG from pet coke / wood / coal / Furnace oil.
-  Regular check and control of burning of municipal solid wastes.

Air pollution is one of the factors affecting respiratory ailments and associated diseases. Health is  impacted  by  several  factors,  including  food  habits,  occupational  habits,  socio-  economic status, medical history, immunity, heredity, etc., of the individuals apart from  the environment. CPCB has not conducted any surveys regarding various health ailments caused by exposure to Ground Level Ozone. However, the health effects of O3 are:

-  Inhaling O3 triggers a variety of health problems including chest pain, coughing, nausea, throat irritation and congestion.
-  O3 exposure worsens bronchitis, heart disease, emphysema, asthma and reduces lung capacity.
-  Repeated exposure to O3 pollution may cause permanent damage to lungs.
-  It makes people more sensitive to allergen.

The  CPCB  in  association  with  State  Pollution  Control  Boards  (SPCBs),  Pollution  Control Committees (PCCs), and the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) monitors ozone and other pollutants under the National Air Quality Monitoring Programme (NAMP).

In order to control Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS), Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has notified the Ozone Depleting Substances (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000, that control the use, import, and export of ODSs in India.

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