Lok Sabha Question No. 1 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-11-25
Subject: Steps to Check Air Pollution
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Smt. Geniben Nagaji Thakor, Shri Pradeep Purohit, Shri Radheshyam Rathiya

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1

TO BE ANSWERED ON 25.11.2024

## Steps to Check Air Pollution

## 1. SHRI PRADEEP PUROHIT: SMT. GENIBEN NAGAJI THAKOR: SHRI RADHESHYAM RATHIYA:

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

- (a) whether the Government is taking any steps to check air pollution in the country, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the rising pollution level has been checked so far, if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the steps taken by the industrial houses and local administration to reduce pollution level  in  Jharsuguda  and  Brajrajnagar  districts  in  Odisha  and  Raigarh  and  Tamnar districts  in  Chhattisgarh  which  have  become  one  of  the  most  polluted  areas  in  the country; and
- (d) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  send  a  high-level  team  to  suggest  modern techniques specifically aimed at reducing pollution levels in the said districts, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

## (a) and (b):

Government has launched National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) in 2019 as a national level strategy to reduce air pollution levels in targeted 130 Non-attainment Cities/ Million Plus Cities across  the  country  through  implementation  of  National,  State  and  City  level  action  plans. NCAP envisages reduction by 20-30% in PM concentration over baseline year 2017 by 2024. Target  has  been  revised  to  achieve  reduction  in  PM10  level  up  to  40%  or  achievement  of national standards (60 µg/m3) by 2025-26.

Cities under NCAP have prepared city action plans to take measures to improve air quality as per the objectives of National Clean Air Programme (NCAP). An amount of Rs. 11,211 crore has been provided to cities under the programme to implement city action plans. In addition to this,  NCAP  emphasises  on  implementation  of  City  Action  Plans  (CAPs)  through  the convergence of resources from various Central Government schemes such as Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban), AMRUT, Smart City Mission, SATAT, and Nagar Van Yojana, as well as resources from State Govts./ UT administration and agencies like Municipal Corporations and Urban Development authorities.

As per the annual performance assessment carried out for FY 2023-24 under the Programme, 97 cities have achieved reduction in PM10 levels in 2023-24 with respect to the levels of 201718. 55 cities have achieved reduction of 20% and above in PM10 levels in 2023-24 with respect to the levels of 2017-18. 18 cities have met National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for  PM10  levels  in  2023-24.  Further,  regulatory  measures  taken  by  the  Government  are enclosed at Annexure I . Details of air quality improvement in cities covered under NCAP is enclosed at Annexure II.

## (c) and (d):

Brajrajnagar is part of Ib Valley industrial region which was earlier categorised as Critically Polluted Area in 2009 with Comprehensive Environmental Pollution Index (CEPI) score of 74. Further, Jharsuguda industrial area has been categorised Critically Polluted Area with CEPI score of 73.34 in 2009. State Pollution Control Board, Odisha has prepared and implemented comprehensive action plan for abatement of pollution in Ib Valley and Jharsuguda industrial region alongwith various stakeholders including local administration. Industries have installed Electrostatic Precipitators (ESP), Fume Treatment Plants, Bag Filters at the Chimneys. Internal roads inside the plant premises have been concreted. Water sprinklers have been installed at coal handling plant, material handling area and dust generating points to control fugitive dust emissions.  Major  industrial  units  have  installed  online  Continuous  Emission  Monitoring System (CEMS)  &  Continuous  Ambient  Air  Quality Monitoring stations with data connectivity to RT-DAS server of the State Pollution Control Board. Also, these industries have installed HD IP surveillance camera with data connectivity to the SPCB server to view the  emission  from  stacks  and  fugitive  emission  of  the  plant  from  remote  location.  Due  to implementation of the said action plan, the CEPI score of IB Valley has been brought down to 58.85 in 2024. Further, CEPI score of Jharsuguda has been brought down to 37.2 in 2018. These regions are currently out of Critically Polluted Area.

Tamnar industrial area in Raigarh district of Chhattisgarh has major industrial activities such as coal mining, and thermal power plants which are regulated through grant of environmental clearance  under  EIA  Notification  2006  and  consent  issued  under  The  Air  (Prevention  and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 by Chhattisgarh Environment Conservation Board (CECB).

Industries in Raigarh District have set up air pollution control measures, such as electrostatic precipitators,  bag  filters,  scrubber,  water  sprinkling  system,  fog  cannons,  wheel  washing system, greenbelt. Five ambient air quality monitoring stations have been set up in the region to monitor air quality. Chhattisgarh Environment Conservation Board issued directions under Section 31A  of Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981  and  imposed Environmental Compensation to the industries in the region for violation of environmental norms.

***

## Regulatory Measures taken by the Government to control pollution:

- i. Emission standards for more than 80 industries have been notified
- ii. Emission standards recently notified/revised:
- a) Thermal power plants
- b) Diesel/petrol/CNG generator sets
- c) Industrial boilers
- d) Lime Kilns
- e) Brick kilns and conversion of zig-zag technology
- f) Calcinated petcoke industry
- g) Hot mix plants
- iii. Leapfrogging to Bharat Stage-VI (BS-VI) emissions norms from 1st April 2020
- iv. Vehicle Scrapping Policy, Rules for Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facilities and Automated Testing Stations by MoRTH
- v. Waste management rules for solid waste, plastic waste, hazardous waste, e-waste, battery waste, biomedical waste, 100% ash utilisation by Thermal Power Plants
- vi. Market-based Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations introduced for waste categories, viz. plastic packaging, e-waste, battery waste, waste tyres & used oil
- vii. 12 identified Single-Use Plastics (SUP) having high littering potential and low utility were banned from 1st July, 2022
- viii. Mandate for utilisation of minimum 5% of crop residue along with coal (pellets/brickettes) in thermal power plants in NCR and adjoining areas

## Annexure I

Annexure - II

| Improvement in PM10 concentrations of 130 Cities in FY 2023-24 w.r.t. FY 2017-18   | Improvement in PM10 concentrations of 130 Cities in FY 2023-24 w.r.t. FY 2017-18   | Improvement in PM10 concentrations of 130 Cities in FY 2023-24 w.r.t. FY 2017-18   | Improvement in PM10 concentrations of 130 Cities in FY 2023-24 w.r.t. FY 2017-18   | Improvement in PM10 concentrations of 130 Cities in FY 2023-24 w.r.t. FY 2017-18             |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| S. No.                                                                             | Cities                                                                             | PM10 concentrations in 2017-18 (µg/m3) (Annual Avg.)                               | PM10 concentrations in 2023-24 (µg/m3) (Annual Avg.)                               | Percentage reduction in PM10 concentrations in 2023- 24 with respect to the year 2017-18 (%) |
| 1.                                                                                 | Varanasi                                                                           | 230                                                                                | 73                                                                                 | 68                                                                                           |
| 2.                                                                                 | Bareilly                                                                           | 207                                                                                | 80                                                                                 | 61                                                                                           |
| 3.                                                                                 | Firozabad                                                                          | 247                                                                                | 102                                                                                | 59                                                                                           |
| 4.                                                                                 | Dehradun                                                                           | 250                                                                                | 109                                                                                | 56                                                                                           |
| 5.                                                                                 | Dhanbad                                                                            | 315                                                                                | 138                                                                                | 56                                                                                           |
| 6.                                                                                 | Tuticorin                                                                          | 123                                                                                | 57                                                                                 | 54                                                                                           |
| 7.                                                                                 | Nalagarh                                                                           | 146                                                                                | 68                                                                                 | 53                                                                                           |
| 8.                                                                                 | Moradabad                                                                          | 222                                                                                | 115                                                                                | 48                                                                                           |
| 9.                                                                                 | Khurja                                                                             | 195                                                                                | 104                                                                                | 47                                                                                           |
| 10.                                                                                | Trichy                                                                             | 88                                                                                 | 47                                                                                 | 47                                                                                           |
| 11.                                                                                | Kohima                                                                             | 127                                                                                | 68                                                                                 | 46                                                                                           |
| 12.                                                                                | Lucknow                                                                            | 253                                                                                | 137                                                                                | 46                                                                                           |
| 13.                                                                                | Kanpur                                                                             | 227                                                                                | 125                                                                                | 45                                                                                           |
| 14.                                                                                | Kadapa                                                                             | 75                                                                                 | 42                                                                                 | 44                                                                                           |
| 15.                                                                                | Sivasagar                                                                          | 73                                                                                 | 41                                                                                 | 44                                                                                           |
| 16.                                                                                | Sunder Nagar                                                                       | 78                                                                                 | 44                                                                                 | 44                                                                                           |
| 17.                                                                                | Agra                                                                               | 202                                                                                | 116                                                                                | 43                                                                                           |
| 18.                                                                                | Greater Mumbai                                                                     | 161                                                                                | 94                                                                                 | 42                                                                                           |
| 19.                                                                                | Rishikesh                                                                          | 129                                                                                | 76                                                                                 | 41                                                                                           |
| 20.                                                                                | Parwanoo                                                                           | 66                                                                                 | 39                                                                                 | 41                                                                                           |
| 21.                                                                                | Byrnihat                                                                           | 175                                                                                | 104                                                                                | 41                                                                                           |
| 22.                                                                                | Ahmedabad                                                                          | 164                                                                                | 98                                                                                 | 40                                                                                           |
| 23.                                                                                | Ghaziabad                                                                          | 285                                                                                | 172                                                                                | 40                                                                                           |
| 24.                                                                                | Rajkot                                                                             | 150                                                                                | 92                                                                                 | 39                                                                                           |
| 25.                                                                                | Jalandhar                                                                          | 178                                                                                | 111                                                                                | 38                                                                                           |
| 26.                                                                                | Raebareli                                                                          | 145                                                                                | 91                                                                                 | 37                                                                                           |
| 27.                                                                                | Amritsar                                                                           | 189                                                                                | 119                                                                                | 37                                                                                           |
| 28.                                                                                | Baddi                                                                              | 174                                                                                | 111                                                                                | 36                                                                                           |
| 29.                                                                                | Kolkata                                                                            | 147                                                                                | 94                                                                                 | 36                                                                                           |
| 30.                                                                                | Jammu                                                                              | 157                                                                                | 101                                                                                | 36                                                                                           |
| 31.                                                                                | Silchar                                                                            | 49                                                                                 | 32                                                                                 | 35                                                                                           |
| 32.                                                                                | Jodhpur                                                                            | 189                                                                                | 124                                                                                | 34                                                                                           |
| 33.                                                                                | Vijayawada                                                                         | 91                                                                                 | 61                                                                                 | 33                                                                                           |

|   35. | Dimapur          | 142   |   97 |   32 |
|-------|------------------|-------|------|------|
|    36 | Khanna           | 142   |  100 |   30 |
|    37 | Durgapur         | 150   |  106 |   29 |
|    38 | Kurnool          | 79    |   56 |   29 |
|    39 | Dera Baba Nanak  | 79    |   56 |   29 |
|    40 | Vadodara         | 133   |   95 |   29 |
|    41 | Allahabad        | 169   |  124 |   27 |
|    42 | Asansol          | 147   |  108 |   27 |
|    43 | Srinagar         | 132** |   96 |   27 |
|    44 | Hyderabad        | 110   |   81 |   26 |
|    45 | Gorakhpur        | 150   |  111 |   26 |
|    46 | Ananthpur        | 78    |   59 |   24 |
|    47 | Ranchi           | 141   |  107 |   24 |
|    48 | Bengaluru        | 92    |   70 |   24 |
|    49 | Akola            | 111   |   85 |   23 |
|    50 | Durg Bhilainagar | 86    |   68 |   21 |
|    51 | Surat            | 130   |  103 |   21 |
|    52 | Noida            | 229   |  182 |   21 |
|    53 | Howrah           | 139   |  111 |   20 |
|    54 | Thane            | 138   |  111 |   20 |
|    55 | Latur            | 82    |   66 |   20 |
|    56 | Nellore          | 64    |   52 |   19 |
|    57 | Gajraula         | 204   |  167 |   18 |
|    58 | Faridabad        | 229** |  190 |   17 |
|    59 | Alwar            | 152   |  127 |   16 |
|    60 | Chittur          | 70    |   59 |   16 |
|    61 | Kala Amb         | 118   |  100 |   15 |
|    62 | Mandi Gobindgarh | 148   |  126 |   15 |
|    63 | Amravati         | 102   |   87 |   15 |
|    64 | Patiala          | 106   |   91 |   14 |
|    65 | Jaipur           | 172   |  148 |   14 |
|    66 | Ongole           | 65    |   56 |   14 |
|    67 | Delhi            | 241   |  208 |   14 |
|    68 | Chandrapur       | 118   |  102 |   14 |
|    69 | Nashik           | 82    |   72 |   12 |
|    70 | Jhansi           | 109   |   96 |   12 |
|    71 | Sangli           | 87    |   77 |   11 |
|    72 | Devanagere       | 74    |   66 |   11 |
|    73 | Kota             | 139   |  124 |   11 |
|    74 | Rajahmundry      | 85    |   76 |   11 |
|    75 | Hubli-Dharwad    | 79    |   71 |   10 |
|    76 | Jabalpur         | 101   |   91 |   10 |

|   77. | Ujjain        |   93 |   84 |   10 |
|-------|---------------|------|------|------|
|    78 | Guntur        |   66 |   61 |    8 |
|    79 | Kalinga Nagar |  109 |  101 |    7 |
|    80 | Meerut        |  159 |  149 |    6 |
|    81 | Nagpur        |  100 |   94 |    6 |
|    82 | Eluru         |   72 |   68 |    6 |
|    83 | Madurai       |   72 |   68 |    6 |
|    84 | Damtal        |   55 |   52 |    5 |
|    85 | Haldia        |   92 |   87 |    5 |
|    86 | Anpara        |  175 |  166 |    5 |
|    87 | Badlapur      |  160 |  152 |    5 |
|    88 | Udaipur       |  127 |  121 |    5 |
|    89 | Sangareddy    |   85 |   81 |    5 |
|    90 | Chennai       |   66 |   63 |    5 |
|    91 | Ludhiana      |  168 |  161 |    4 |
|    92 | Pune          |  102 |   98 |    4 |
|    93 | Jamshedpur    |  135 |  130 |    4 |
|    94 | Kolhapur      |   89 |   86 |    3 |
|    95 | Ulhasnagar    |  153 |  149 |    3 |
|    96 | Srikakulam    |   69 |   68 |    1 |
|    97 | Kashipur      |   99 |   98 |    1 |
|    98 | Talcher       |  113 |  113 |    0 |
|    99 | Nalgonda      |   59 |   59 |    0 |
|   100 | Bhopal        |  112 |  113 |   -1 |
|   101 | Sagar         |   73 |   74 |   -1 |
|   102 | Vizianagaram  |   72 |   73 |   -1 |
|   103 | Chandigarh    |  114 |  116 |   -2 |
|   104 | Gulbarga      |   55 |   56 |   -2 |
|   105 | Jalna         |   99 |  102 |   -3 |
|   106 | Patna         |  172 |  178 |   -3 |
|   107 | Korba         |   57 |   59 |   -4 |
|   108 | Paonta Sahib  |   84 |   90 |   -7 |
|   109 | Gwalior       |  126 |  136 |   -8 |
|   110 | Raipur        |   70 |   76 |   -9 |
|   111 | Navi Mumbai   |   88 |   98 |  -11 |
|   112 | Rourkela      |   99 |  111 |  -12 |
|   113 | Muzaffarpur   |  147 |  168 |  -14 |
|   114 | Barrackpore   |   86 |   99 |  -15 |
|   115 | Guwahati      |  103 |  119 |  -16 |
|   116 | Dera Bassi    |   88 |  102 |  -16 |
|   117 | Solapur       |   81 |   96 |  -19 |
|   118 | Dewas         |   83 |   99 |  -19 |
|   119 | Indore        |   82 |   99 |  -21 |
|   120 | Vasai Virar   |   99 |  125 |  -26 |

|   121. | Nagaon        |   82 |   107 |   -30 |
|--------|---------------|------|-------|-------|
|    122 | Aurangabad    |   75 |    98 |   -31 |
|    123 | Gaya          |   79 |   104 |   -32 |
|    124 | Bhubaneswar   |   85 |   114 |   -34 |
|    125 | Jalgaon       |   70 |    97 |   -39 |
|    126 | Cuttack       |   93 |   129 |   -39 |
|    127 | Nalbari       |   87 |   127 |   -46 |
|    128 | Balasore      |   84 |   124 |   -48 |
|    129 | Visakhapatnam |   76 |   120 |   -58 |
|    130 | Angul         |   97 |   167 |   -72 |

- ** PM10 levels in the FY 2017-18 for Faridabad and Srinagar are not available. PM10 levels of  FY  2020-21  for  Faridabad  and  PM10  levels  of  FY  2018-19  for  Srinagar  have  been considered as a baseline.
* Patancheru non-attainment city has been merged with Hyderabad Urban Agglomeration and accordingly revised number of cities covered under NCAP is 130.

***