Lok Sabha Question No. 4099 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-18
Subject: Pollution in Delhi NCR
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shri Laxmikant Pappu Nishad

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4099

TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.08.2025

## Pollution in Delhi NCR

## 4099.   SHRI LAXMIKANT PAPPU NISHAD:

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

- (a) the details of air quality in the areas of the NCR-Delhi especially Kaushambi, Vaishali, Indrapuram, Anand Vihar, Khicharipur and Mayur Vihar Phase-III along with data of composition of air in these areas during the last one year, month-wise;
- (b) whether the Central Pollution Control Board has taken any steps regarding air quality, if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) whether the Government has taken any steps to stop unauthorised poultry farms and Slaughter Houses to prevent from unpleasant odour in the surrounding living area and communicable diseases?

## ANSWER

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

## (a) and (b):

Air  quality  monitoring  is  being  conducted  through  Continuous  Ambient  Air  Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS) at Indirapuram (Ghaziabad) and Anand Vihar (Delhi) and for the air  quality  of  Kaushambi nearby  CAAQMS location is at Vasundhara (Ghaziabad), for Vaishali nearby CAAQMS location is at Anand Vihar (Delhi), for Khicharipur and Mayur Vihar Phase-III nearby CAAQMS location is at Patparganj (Delhi).

The month-wise ambient air quality data of year 2024 with respect to SO2, NO2, PM10 and PM2.5  of  these  four  locations  (Indirapuram,  Vasundhara,  Anand  Vihar,  &  Patparganj)  is  at Annexure I.

Air pollution is a collective result of multiple factors including high level of anthropogenic activities  in  the  high-density  populated  areas  in  NCR,  arising  from  various  sectors  viz. Vehicular  Pollution,  Industrial  Pollution,  Dust  from  Construction  &  Demolition  activities, Road Dust, Biomass Burning, Municipal Solid Waste burning etc. Sector specific actions are taken by the Government though various stakeholders. In this regard, various steps taken by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) for air quality management is at Annexure II .

## (c) :

To  address  the  environmental  issues  associated  with  the  poultry  farms,  CPCB  issued 'Environmental Guidelines for Poultry Farms' in August 2021, which were further revised in January 2022. The said guidelines address the environmental issues associated with poultry farms with respect to odour, solid wastes management such as disposal of dead birds, Poultry litter/manure etc. and control measures. The guidelines were circulated to all the State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs)/Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) for its compliance.

CPCB issued 'Comprehensive Industry Document on Slaughter Houses' in October, 2017. The  document  stipulates  the  best  available  waste  management  practices  with  respect  to wastewater,  air  pollution,  solid  waste,  and  odour  control  in  slaughter  houses.  The  proper implementation  of  above  said  guidelines  ensure  proper  environmental  management  and prevention  of  communicable  diseases  due  to  poultry  farms  and  slaughter  houses  in  the surrounding area.

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## Month-wise Ambient air quality with respect to SO2, NO2, PM10 & PM2.5 during 2024 (Concentration in µg/m 3 )

|               |                                      |            | Concentration in µg/m 3   | Concentration in µg/m 3   | Concentration in µg/m 3   | Concentration in µg/m 3   | Concentration in µg/m 3   | Concentration in µg/m 3   | Concentration in µg/m 3   | Concentration in µg/m 3   | Concentration in µg/m 3   | Concentration in µg/m 3   | Concentration in µg/m 3   | Concentration in µg/m 3   | Concentration in µg/m 3   |
|---------------|--------------------------------------|------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|
|               | CAAQMS Location                      | Paramet er | Jan                       | Feb                       | Mar                       | Apr                       | May                       | Jun                       | Jul                       | Aug                       | Sep                       | Oct                       | Nov                       | Dec                       | Annual Averag e           |
| Uttar Pradesh |                                      | SO 2       | 12                        | 12                        | 10                        | 13                        | 8                         | 11                        | 15                        | 12                        | 4                         | 15                        | 13                        | 9                         | 11                        |
| Uttar Pradesh |                                      | NO 2       | 91                        | 61                        | 49                        | 48                        | 47                        | 41                        | 34                        | 26                        | 32                        | 57                        | 64                        | 70                        | 52                        |
| Uttar Pradesh | Indirapuram                          | PM 10      | 319                       | 200                       | 157                       | 215                       | 277                       | 213                       | 99                        | 68                        | 110                       | 230                       | 254                       | 214                       | 197                       |
| Uttar Pradesh |                                      | PM 2.5     | 132                       | 66                        | 44                        | 55                        | 70                        | 57                        | 36                        | 28                        | 43                        | 105                       | 137                       | 142                       | 76                        |
| Uttar Pradesh | Vasundhara (covering Kaushambi also) | SO 2       | 13                        | 15                        | 18                        | 31                        | 21                        | 12                        | 3                         | 4                         | 10                        | 22                        | 13                        | 16                        | 15                        |
| Uttar Pradesh |                                      | NO 2       | 55                        | 53                        | 47                        | 64                        | 47                        | 32                        | 24                        | 22                        | 22                        | 41                        | 76                        | 67                        | 46                        |
| Uttar Pradesh |                                      | PM 10      | 227                       | 144                       | 116                       | 136                       | 159                       | 127                       | 74                        | 67                        | 107                       | 222                       | 291                       | 163                       | 153                       |
| Uttar Pradesh |                                      | PM 2.5     | 155                       | 75                        | 50                        | 45                        | 49                        | 28                        | 32                        | 30                        | 46                        | 99                        | 186                       | 102                       | 74                        |
| Delhi         | Anand Vihar (covering Vaishali also) | SO 2       | 15                        | 18                        | 24                        | 27                        | 26                        | 17                        | 15                        | 13                        | 10                        | 20                        | 14                        | 11                        | 17                        |
| Delhi         |                                      | NO 2       | 83                        | 105                       | 62                        | 79                        | 74                        | 61                        | 25                        | 65                        | 62                        | 87                        | 107                       | 146                       | 81                        |
| Delhi         |                                      | PM 10      | 404                       | 337                       | 225                       | 281                       | 333                       | 289                       | 135                       | 128                       | 234                       | 500                       | 542                       | 359                       | 320                       |
| Delhi         |                                      | PM 2.5     | 253                       | 161                       | 87                        | 88                        | 118                       | 75                        | 51                        | 44                        | 91                        | 156                       | 306                       | 210                       | 142                       |
| Delhi         | Patparganj                           | SO 2       | 8                         | 8                         | 14                        | 7                         | 4                         | 11                        | 7                         | 5                         | 4                         | 6                         | 8                         | 4                         | 7                         |
| Delhi         | (covering                            | NO 2       | 47                        | 44                        | 36                        | 41                        | 26                        | 41                        | 27                        | 24                        | 27                        | 48                        | 72                        | 67                        | 42                        |
| Delhi         | Khicharipur &                        | PM 10      | 387                       | 281                       | 189                       | 219                       | 291                       | 229                       | 101                       | 70                        | 114                       | 292                       | 454                       | 319                       | 245                       |
| Delhi         | Mayur Vihar Phase-III also)          | PM 2.5     | 236                       | 131                       | 45                        | 57                        | 80                        | 53                        | 40                        | 28                        | 42                        | 120                       | 273                       | 186                       | 108                       |

Note: Concentrations are based on CAAQMS data.

## Annexure - I

## Steps taken by CPCB for abatement of Air Pollution:

## 1. Air Quality Monitoring and Network:

-  Ambient Air Quality Network: The country has a network of 1524 ambient air quality monitoring stations (558 continuous and 966 manual) covering 550 cities in the country including Delhi and NCR cities.
-  A centralized air quality monitoring portal is operated by CPCB wherein, tracking of various  information  such  as  hourly  PM  concentrations,  Live  Air  Quality  Data  of Monitoring stations and Live Air Quality Index is being carried out.
-  CPCB issues a daily report  comprising  of  AQI,  comparative  AQI  status,  year-wise trends of PM concentration, hotspots for the day, stubble burning cases, contribution of stubble burning and meteorological forecast. This report is prepared based on the inputs available  from  various  sources  such  as  India  Meteorological  Department  (IMD), System  of  Air  Quality  and  Weather  Forecasting  And  Research  (SAFAR),  Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) etc., and disseminated through CPCB website.
2. Measures for control of emissions from Stubble Burning in Delhi-NCR:
-  CPCB has framed guidelines for providing one-time financial assistance for setting up  of  paddy  straw  based  pelletisation  and  Torrefaction  plants  which  may  help  in addressing the supply chain issues and the issue of open burning of paddy straw in agriculture fields in Northern Region.
-  During stubble burning season of 2023 (10.11.23 onwards), 33 scientists of CPCB were deployed  as  flying  squads  for  assisting  CAQM  in  NCR  and  adjoining  areas  for intensifying monitoring and enforcement actions towards prevention of paddy stubble burning  incidents  in  22  districts  of  Punjab  and  11  districts  of  Haryana.  The  flying squads coordinated with state govt/nodal officers//officers from respective districts and sent their daily report to CAQM.
-  CPCB has deployed 26 teams (in 16 districts of Punjab and 10 districts of Haryana) for the period 01 st  October - 30 th  November, 2024 to intensify monitoring and enforcement actions  regarding  stubble  burning.  These  teams  are  coordinating  with  concerned authorities/ officers deployed at the district level by the State Govt. and reporting to CAQM.

## 3. Measures for control of industrial emission: .

-  Directions  have  been  issued  by  CPCB  for  conversion  of  brick  kilns  to  zig-zag technology in Delhi and NCR. A total of 3003 out of 4608 brick kilns have converted to zig-zag technology including 1762 kilns in Haryana, 1024 kilns in U.P. and 217 kilns in  Rajasthan.  Brick  kilns  not  converted  to  zig-zag  technology  are  not  permitted  to operate.
-  CPCB has come out with System and Procedure for Emission Compliance Testing of Retro-fit Emission Control Devices (RECD) for Diesel Power Generating Set Engines up to Gross Mechanical Power 800 kW.
-  In  order  to  control  DG  set  emissions,  CPCB  also  provides  funds  for  retrofitment/ upgradation  of  DG  sets  in  Govt.  hospitals  in  Delhi-NCR  and  guidelines  have  been issued in this regard.

## 4. Close Monitoring & Ground level implementation in Delhi-NCR:

-  40  teams  have  been  deputed  by  CPCB  since  December 2021,  to assist CAQM, for conducting incognito  inspections  of  air  polluting  industries,  C&D  sites,  DG  sets  in Delhi-NCR  to  check  implementation  status  of  pollution  control  measures  and
- compliance of other provisions of the Air (P&CP) Act,1981. A total of 18976 units/ entities/ projects have been inspected as on Nov 08, 2024.
5. Construction & Demolition (C&D) Waste:
-  CPCB published following guidelines (available on website of CPCB)
1. Environmental Management of Construction & Demolition (C & D) Wastes' in March, 2017
2. 'Guidelines on DUST Mitigation Measures in Handling Construction Material & C&D Wastes' in November 2017.
3. Disposal of legacy waste by bio-mining and bio-remediation to address open burning and landfill fires
-  CPCB has issued direction to all SPCBs/ PCCs for deployment of Anti-Smog Gun and implementation of adequate dust  mitigation  measures  at  construction  projects/  sites having area more than 20,000 sq. meters. CPCB has issued guidelines/ mechanism for use of anti-smog guns in Construction and Demolition projects.

## 6. Others:

-  CPCB is providing gap funding support to Delhi-NCR ULBs for Construction/ repair of  roads,  Procurement  of  anti-smog  guns,  Mechanical  road  sweepers  and  MSW collection vehicles.
-  CPCB has developed a mobile app i.e. SAMEER, where Real-time Ambient air quality data of various parameters including AQI is also given. Sameer app also facilitates the public in lodging of air pollution related complaints in NCR region and such complaints are assigned to various local agencies.

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