Lok Sabha Question No. 1180 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-11
Subject: Air Pollution Hotspots
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Abdul Khaleque

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 1180

TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.12.2023

## Air Pollution Hotspots

## 1180.   SHRI ABDUL KHALEQUE:

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

- (a) whether the Government has taken any initiative to collaborate and coordinate with State Governments in identifying air pollution hotspots;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c) the  details  of  the  strategies  and  initiatives  in  place  to  address  local  sources  of  air pollution in the identified hotspot areas;
- (d) whether  the  Government  has  tailored  programs  to  engage  local  communities  and industries in the mitigation process; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (e):

National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) has been launched in January, 2019 which is a longterm, time-bound national level strategy for prevention, control and abatement of air pollution. Under NCAP, it has been envisaged to achieve targets of 20 to 30% reduction in Particulate Matter concentrations by 2024 in 131 cities of 24 States/UTs with respect to base year 2017. Subsequently, the target has been revised to achieve up to 40% reduction or achieve National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) in terms PM concentrations by 2025-26.

Under NCAP, Cities/ULBs are required to identify Air Pollution Hotspots within the city and prepare  an  Emergency  Response  Plans as  part  of  City  Action  Plan  for  taking  measures  to improve air quality. City level action plans have been prepared in 131 cities. These hotspots have been identified by 117 cities for addressing local sources of air pollution.

An amount of ₹  9,631 Cr (as on Nov, 2023) has been released to 131 cities (24 States/UTs) under  National  Clean  Air  Program  (NCAP)  for  the  period  FY  2019-20  to  2023-24  which includes XVFC air quality performance grant to Million Plus Cities/Urban Agglomerations, for taking air quality improvement measures.

Further, NCAP emphasises mobilisation of resources through convergence and implementation of various Central Schemes such as Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM 2.0), Smart City Mission,

AMRUT,  PM  E-bus  Sewa  Scheme  (Ministry  of  Housing  and  Urban  Affairs),  Vehicle Scrapping Policy (Ministry of Road Transport and Highways), Ujjwala, SATAT (Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas), FAME II (Ministry of Heavy Industries) and Nagar Van Yojana (MoEFCC) to improve air quality and address local sources of air pollution.

Implementation of these programmes involve engagement of local communities in participation  in  pollution  control  activities  and  awareness  programmes.  Further,  Public Grievance Redressal Portal  (PGRP)/helpline and  Emergency Response  System  (ERS)  have been  developed  in  131  cities  to  address  air  pollution  incidents  reported  by  citizens  and communities.

MoEFCC  issued  guidelines  for  engagement  of  Institutes  of  Repute  (IoRs)  for  providing technical  assistance  for  ULB  in  identification  and  monitoring  of  air  pollution  hotspots  and monitor the implementation of City Action Plan. Further, ULBs have engaged several institutes having expertise in air quality  management to carry  out Source Apportionment  Studies for identification of local sources of pollution.

Ministry  has  issued  Guidelines  for  Capacity  Building  and  Public  Outreach  (CBPO)  under NCAP for organising awareness programmes by SPCB/PCC and ULB/Cities for providing awareness to control air pollution. An amount Rs.1 crore has been provided to States/UTs for organising CBPO under NCAP in FY 2022-23.

Further, for participation of communities in addressing air pollution, all ULBs/Cities have been mandated to include awareness campaigns/ actions leading to behavioural changes as part of Mission LiFE (Lifestyle For Environment) to create awareness and facilitate citizens to take initiatives to protect the Environment including addressing air pollution linked to respective City Action  Plans .   NCAP  focuses  on multi-sectoral  sources  of  pollution  including  power plants, industries, vehicles, open burning of waste, construction & demolition activities, etc.

To address air pollution from  industries, Ministry has  notified  standards for  emissions  and discharge  of  pollutants  including  industries  under  Environment  Protection  Rules,  1986. Industry specific standards have been notified for 80 industrial sectors. SPCBs and PCCs in States and Union Territories, respectively have been mandated to ensure the compliance of these standards. Industrial Pollution is also regulated through Consent to Establish/ Consent to Operate  issued  and  monitored  by  the  concerned  State  Pollution  Control  Boards/  Pollution Control Committees (SPCBs/PCCs).