Lok Sabha Question No. 1326 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-11
Subject: Air Pollution
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Behanan Benny

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 1326

TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.12.2023

## Air Pollution

## 1326.  SHRI BENNY BEHANAN:

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

- (a) the  reason  behind  the  consistently  meagre  allocation  for  combating  Air  Pollution, specifically, the new Commission for Air Quality Management;
- (b) whether  the  Government  plans  to  combat  the  rising  sulphur  dioxide  emission  in  the country; and
- (c) whether the air pollution features within the framework of the national health policy, considering its significant impact on citizens' health?

## ANSWER

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

## (a)

The  Commission  for  Air  Quality  Management  (CAQM)  has  been  set  up  for  Air  Quality Management  in  National  Capital  Region  and  Adjoining  Areas  for  better  co-ordination, research, identification and resolution of problems surrounding the air quality index and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

The  Central  Government  provides  financial  year  based  funds  under  Grants-In-Aid  to  the CAQM  for  carrying  out  its  establishment  related  expenditure  on  account  of  Salary  and General Expenditure. The funds under Grants-in-Aid is not meant for pollution abatement. With the prime objective of abating Air Pollution, the Ministry, in 2019 launched a National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) as a National-level Strategy outlining the actions for reducing the  levels  of  air  pollution  at  city  and  regional  scales  in  India.      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,  an  amount  of  Rs.  19,711  crores  have  been  earmarked  to  131  cities during  the  period  FY  2019-20  till  FY  2025-26  out  of  which  49  Million  Plus  Cities/Urban Agglomerations  are  funded  under  15 th   Finance  Commission  air  quality  grant.  So  far  till November 30, 2023, an amount of Rs. 9,635 crores were released to 131 cities to implement City Action Plans in their respective cities.

## (b)

The analysis of ambient air quality data with respect to SO2, reveals that during 2019, 2020 and 2021, a total of 313 cities, 350 cities and 379 respectively were within National Ambient Air Quality Standard  (NAAQS) and only 1 city exceeded the Standard.

## Steps taken by Central Government to reduce SO2

- a. Notification  regarding  SO2  and  NOx  emission  standards have  been  issued  for Thermal Power Plants.
- b. Ban on use of pet coke and furnace oil as  fuel  in  NCR  States  since  October  24, 2017 and ban on use of imported pet coke in the country since July 26, 2018, with exception for use in permitted processes.

Further various actions of the city action plans also help to combat the rising sulphur dioxide emission in the country, some of which are as follows:

- a. Strict  enforcement  against  illegal  use  of  dirty  industrial  fuels  with  high  sulfur  and heavy metals fuels,  including  fuels  that  do  not  have  specifications  laid  down  or  are included in the acceptable fuels as mandated by state pollution control boards
- b. Conversion to CNG/PNG from pet coke / wood / coal / Furnace oil.
- c. Clean Fuel & Fuel Quality for Vehicles
- d. Regular check and control of burning of municipal solid wastes
- e. Proper management of landfill sites to prevent spontaneous fire.

## (c)

National Programme on Climate Change and Human Health (NPCCHH) at NCDC (National Centre for Disease Control) is a flagship programme under National Health Mission (NHM), MoHFW, focusing on the implementation of climate change impact on health issues in States and  Districts.  Within  NPCCHH, air pollution and  its  associated  health  concerns  have  been identified  as  one  of  the  priority  health  issue.  National  Health  Policy  2017  identified  seven priority areas for improving the environment for health. Reducing the indoor and outdoor air pollution is one of the priority areas.

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