Lok Sabha Question No. 1706 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-10
Subject: Environmental issues in West Bengal
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shri Jagannath Sarkar

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

## RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1706

TO BE ANSWERED ON 10.03.2025

## Environmental issues in West Bengal

## 1706.   SHRI JAGANNATH SARKAR:

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

- (a) the current status of pollution levels in major cities of West Bengal and the measures being taken to mitigate air and water pollution;
- (b) the initiatives undertaken to preserve and expand forest cover and biodiversity in the State;
- (c) the progress of renewable energy projects in West Bengal and their impact on reducing the State's carbon footprint; and
- (d) the steps being taken to address the effects of climate change, such as extreme  weather events and their impact on agriculture and livelihoods?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (d): Air pollution levels in terms of PM10 concentrations in the major cities of West Bengal measured during the year 2023-24 are enclosed at Annexure I. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) launched National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) in January 2019 with an aim to improve air quality in 130 cities (non-attainment cities and Million Plus Cities) including six cities  namely,  Kolkata,  Durgapur,  Asansol,  Howrah,  Haldia,  and  Barrackpore  of West  Bengal.  An  amount  of  Rs.  ₹  1089.78  crore  has  been  provided  to  these  cities  for implementation of city action plans to take measures to improve air quality.

13 polluted river stretches in West Bengal were identified which has Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) levels more than 3 mg/L, and details are enclosed at Annexure II.

The Government of India has taken several steps for conservation of biodiversity which includes survey, inventorization, taxonomic validation and threat assessment of floral and faunal resources; assessment to develop an accurate database for planning and monitoring as well as conservation and protection of forests; establishment of a protected area network of National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries, conservation and community reserves; designating Biosphere Reserves for conservation of representative ecosystems. Species oriented programmes, such as Project Tiger,

Project Elephant, Project Dolphin, complemented with ex-situ conservation efforts have also been undertaken.

10 Biodiversity Heritage Sites in West Bengal have been notified under Section 37 (1) of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 and the details are placed at Annexure III.

West Bengal has a total installed renewable energy capacity of 1,977.22 MW. This includes 98.50 MW from small hydro power, 343.46 MW from wind power, 194.06 MW from bio power, and 1,341.20 MW from solar power.

India's climate action is guided by its updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) and the long-term strategy to reach net-zero by 2070 and it cuts across various sectors of the economy. National  Action  Plan  on  Climate  Change  (NAPCC) of  MoEFCC  provides  the  overarching framework  for  all  climate  actions  and  comprises  missions  in  specific  areas  of  solar  energy, enhanced energy efficiency, sustainable habitat, water, sustaining Himalayan ecosystems, Green India, sustainable agriculture, human health and strategic knowledge for climate change. All these All these objectives are institutionalized and implemented by their respective nodal Ministries/Departments.  The  MoEFCC  has  implemented  the  Central  Sector  Schemes  namely, Climate  Change  Action  Programme  (CCAP)  and  the  National  Adaptation  Fund  for  Climate Change (NAFCC) assisting in efforts of the Government to combat climate change.

*****

## Annexure I Annual average concentration of PM10 in the major cities of West Bengal

|   S. No. | Cities      |   PM10 concentrations in 2023-24 (µg/m3) (Annual Avg.) |
|----------|-------------|--------------------------------------------------------|
|        1 | Kolkata     |                                                     94 |
|        2 | Durgapur    |                                                    106 |
|        3 | Asansol     |                                                    108 |
|        4 | Howrah      |                                                    111 |
|        5 | Haldia      |                                                     87 |
|        6 | Barrackpore |                                                     99 |

## Annexure II

## Polluted River Stretches in West Bengal during year 2022

|   Sr. No. | POLLUTED RIVER STRETCH/ LOCATION   | POLLUTED RIVER STRETCH/ LOCATION   |
|-----------|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|
|         1 | Barakar                            | Along Asansol                      |
|         2 | Churni                             | Bijoypur To Ranaghat               |
|         3 | Damodar                            | Dishergarh To Burdwan              |
|         4 | Dwarakeshwar                       | Along Bankura Town                 |
|         5 | Dwarka                             | Along Tarapith                     |
|         6 | Ganga                              | Behrampur To Haldia                |
|         7 | Jalangi                            | Along Krishna Nagar                |
|         8 | Kansi                              | Along Midnapore                    |
|         9 | Mahananda                          | Along Siliguri                     |
|        10 | Matha Bhanga                       | Along Gobindapur                   |
|        11 | Rupnarayan                         | Kolaghat To Geonkhali              |
|        12 | Teesta                             | Along Sevoke                       |
|        13 | Vindyadhari                        | Haroa To Malancha                  |

Annexure - III Biodiversity Heritage Sites (BHS) in West Bengal

|   Sl. No. | Name of Biodiversity Heritage Site (BHS)            | Location        |
|-----------|-----------------------------------------------------|-----------------|
|         1 | Tonglu BHS                                          | Darjeeling      |
|         2 | Dhotrey BHS                                         | Darjeeling      |
|         3 | Chilkigarh Kanak Durga                              | Jhargram        |
|         4 | Baneswar Shiva Dighi                                | Cooch Behar-II  |
|         5 | Amkhoi wood fossil park                             | Birbhum         |
|         6 | Char Balidanga                                      | Nadia           |
|         7 | Namthing Pokhari                                    | Darjeeling      |
|         8 | State Horticulture Research and Development Station | Nadia           |
|         9 | Birampur- Baguran Jalpai                            | Purba Medinipur |
|        10 | Haldir Char Island                                  | Purba Medinipur |

*****