Lok Sabha Question No. 14 (STARRED), answered on 2015-07-21
Subject: Air Pollution
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: GAURAV GOGOI, SHARAD TRIPATHI

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

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 14

TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.07.2015

## Air Pollution

## *14. SHRI GAURAV GOGOI: SHRI SHARAD TRIPATHI:

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

- (a) whether the level of air pollution in urban and industrial areas of the country is increasing and has reached an alarming level and if so, the details thereof in respect of major cities;
- (b) whether the Government has prepared any roadmap to curb air pollution in the country and if so, the details and status thereof along with the parameters taken into consideration before finalisation of such roadmap;
- (c) whether the Government has launched any new scheme or employed modern techniques to make the country pollution-free; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof along with the concrete steps taken in this regard?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

(SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)

- (a)  to (d): A statement is laid on the Table of the House

Statement  referred  to  in  reply  to  Lok  Sabha  Starred  Question  No.  14  due  for  reply  on 21.07.2015  regarding  'Air  Pollution'  by  SHRI  GAURAV  GOGOI,  SHRI  SHARAD TRIPATHI, Hon'ble Members of Parliament

- (a) The ambient air quality is monitored by various State Pollution Control Boards, Pollution Control Committees for UTs, Central Pollution Control Board and NEERI at 593 locations in 249 cities,  towns  and  industrial  areas  in  28  states  and  5  UTs.  The  parameters  being  regularly monitored are SO2, NO2 and PM10 under National Air Monitoring Programme (NAMP). As per analysis of data for the year 2011, 2012 and 2013, levels of PM10 (annual averages) have been exceeded in 148, 137 and 152 cities, whereas for NO2 (annual averages) have been exceeded in 24, 12 and 11 cities, respectively. However, levels of SO2 (annual averages) have exceeded only in one city during 2012.
- (b) The  Central  Government  has  taken  several  measures  to  control  air  pollution  in  the country which interalia include formulation of a stringent industrial emission standards, supply of  improved  auto-fuel,  tightening  of  vehicular  emission  norms,  mandatory  environmental clearance for specified industries, promotion of cleaner technologies, strengthening the network of air quality monitoring stations, source apportionment studies, preparation and implementation of action plans for major cities & critically polluted areas, etc.
- (c)  &  (d)    Hon'ble  Prime  Minister  has  recently  launched  National  Air  Quality  on  ambient  air quality being implemented in 11 cities, as a public information tool. Other new initiatives taken by the Government are establishment of Online Emission and Effluent Monitoring on 24x7 basis in 17 categories of highly polluting industries, continuous ambient air quality stations being set up in 46 cities and 20 state capitals, 43 critically polluted areas has been identified and respective action plans are being implemented and also decision support systems have been developed to facilitate the concerned authorities of state / city to prepare air quality management plan.

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