Lok Sabha Question No. 2921 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-03-15
Subject: National Air Quality Index
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: R. PARTHIPAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK  SABHA UN-STARRED QUESTION N0 2921

TO BE ANSWERED ON 15.03.2016

## National Air Quality Index

## 2921. SHRI R. PARTHIPAN:

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

- (a) whether the Government has released National Air Quality Indices (AQI) for 24 cities across the country in the month of January, 2016;
- (b) if so, the details and findings thereof, city-wise;
- (c) whether the air quality during January is worse than the data of the previous months; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Government thereto?

## ANSWER

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

## (SHRI   PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)

(a) &  (b)  The  National  Air  Quality  Index  (AQI)  has  been  launched  by  Hon'ble  Prime Minister  on  April  06,  2015.  There  are  six  AQI  categories,  namely  Good,  Satisfactory, Moderately Polluted, Poor, Very Poor, and Severe. Each of these categories is decided based on ambient concentration values of air pollutants and their likely health impacts.

Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) started disseminating the Air Quality Index (AQI) for 10 cities based on the data CAAQM stations. At present, 23 cities are connected to the web-based  system  of  National  AQI.  They  are  Agra,  Ahmadabad,  Bangaluru,  Chandrapur, Chennai,  Delhi,  Faridabad,  Gaya,  Gurgaon,  Haldia,  Hyderabad,  Jaipur,  Jodhpur,  Kanpur, Lucknow,  Mumbai,  Muzaffarpur,  Navi  Mumbai,  Panchkula,  Patna,  Pune,  Solapur  and Varanasi. Steps have been taken to strengthen the network of monitoring systems in all 46 cities having population of more than a million and 20 State Capitals, and linking them to the central AQI portal, in a phased manner. The details of AQI findings during September 2015 to January 2016 is at Annexure.

(c) The analysis of AQI values for 23 cities conducted by CPCB during November, 2015 to January, 2016, percentage of AQI in terms of 06 categories is depicted in the table given below:

| Category →   | Good   | satisfactory   | moderate   | poor   | very poor   | severe   |
|--------------|--------|----------------|------------|--------|-------------|----------|

| Month ↓        |     |     |     |     |     |     |
|----------------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|
| November, 2015 | 2%  | 18% | 21% | 18% | 32% | 9%  |
| December, 2015 | 1%  | 15% | 26% | 17% | 30% | 11% |
| January, 2016  | <1% | 11% | 31% | 15% | 26% | 16% |

- (d) The steps taken by the Government to mitigate air pollution in metropolitan cities in the country include the following:-
- (i) Notification of National Ambient  Air  Quality  Standards  envisaging 12 pollutants;
- (ii) Formulation of environmental regulations / statutes;
- (iii) Setting up of monitoring network for assessment of ambient air quality;
- (iv) Introduction  of  cleaner  /  alternate  fuels  like  gaseous  fuel,  ethanol  blend  etc. replacing petrol and diesel;
- (v) Promotion of cleaner production processes;

Taking note of the gravity of Air Pollution, the Government has taken some more measures which include:

- (i) Launched  National  Air  Quality  index  by  the  Prime  Minister  in  April,  2015 starting with 10 cities and now extended to 23 cities;
- (ii) Implementation of Bharat Stage IV (BS-IV) norms in 63 selected cities and universalization of BS-IV by 2017;
- (iii) Decision taken to leapfrog directly from BS-IV to BS-VI fuel standards by 1st April, 2020;
- (iv) Comprehensive review of all Waste Management Rules including Municipal Solid Waste,  Plastic  Waste,  Hazardous  Waste,  Bio-medical  Waste  and Electronic Waste.
- (v) Ban on burning of leaves, biomass, municipal solid waste;
- (vi) Promotion  of  public  transport  network  of  metro,  buses,  e-rickshaws  and promotion  of  car  pooling,  Pollution  Under  Control,  lane  discipline,  vehicle maintenance;
- (vii) Revision of existing environmental standards and formulation of new standards for prevention and control of pollution from industries.
- (viii) Regular co-ordination meetings at official and ministerial level with Delhi and other State Governments within the NCR.
- (ix) Issuance of directions under Section 5 of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and  under  Section  18(1)(b)  of  Water  (Prevention  and  Control  of  Pollution) Act, 1974 and Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.
- (x) Installation of on-line continuous (24x7) monitoring devices by major industries.

******

Annexure

ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARA  (a)  &  (b)  OF  THE  LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.  2951  DUE  FOR  REPLY  ON  15.03.2016  REGARDING NATIONAL  AIR  QUALITY  INDEX  BY  SHRI  R.  PARTHIPAN,  HON'BLE  MEMBER  OF PARLIAMENT

| S.No   | Cities     | Months   | Good     | Satisfactory   | Moderate    | Poor        | Very Poor   | Severe   |
|--------|------------|----------|----------|----------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|----------|
|        |            | Sep - 15 | (0-50) 5 | (51-100) 17    | (101-200) 3 | (201-300) * | (301-400) * | (>401) 1 |
|        |            | Oct - 15 | *        | *              | 9           | 15          | *           | *        |
| 1      | Agra       | Nov - 15 | *        | *              | 1           | 11          | 15          | 3        |
|        |            | Dec - 15 | *        | *              | *           | 7           | 15          | 6        |
|        |            | Jan - 16 | *        | *              | *           | 4           | 13          | 12       |
| 2      |            | Sep - 15 | 4        | 11             | 9           | *           | *           | *        |
| 2      |            | Oct - 15 | *        | 1              | 7           | 10          | 2           | 1        |
| 2      | Ahmedabad  | Nov - 15 | *        | *              | *           | *           | *           | *        |
| 2      |            | Dec - 15 | *        | *              | *           | *           | *           | *        |
| 2      |            | Jan - 16 | *        | *              | *           | *           | *           | *        |
| 3      | Bengaluru  | Sep - 15 | 10       | 10             | 6           | *           | *           | *        |
| 3      |            | Oct - 15 | 2        | 13             | 13          | *           | *           | *        |
| 3      |            | Nov - 15 | 8        | 18             | 1           | *           | *           | *        |
| 3      |            | Dec - 15 | 2        | 20             | 9           | *           | *           | *        |
| 3      |            | Jan - 16 | *        | 6              | 24          | 1           | *           | *        |
| 4      |            | Sep - 15 | 3        | 12             | 3           | 2           | *           | 1        |
| 4      |            | Oct - 15 | 9        | 3              | 16          | 3           | *           | *        |
| 4      | Chandrapur | Nov - 15 | *        | 6              | 13          | 5           | *           | *        |
| 4      |            | Dec - 15 | *        | 10             | 12          | 2           | *           | 1        |
| 4      |            | Jan - 16 | *        | 2              | 12          | 1           | *           | *        |
| 5      |            | Sep - 15 | *        | 27             | 3           | *           | *           | *        |
| 5      |            | Oct - 15 | 9        | 20             | 8           | *           | *           | *        |
| 5      | Chennai    | Nov - 15 | 1        | 13             | 14          | *           | *           | *        |
| 5      |            | Dec - 15 | *        | 5              | 14          | 4           | 1           | *        |
| 5      |            | Jan - 16 |          | 6              | 19          | 3           | 1           | *        |
| 6      |            | Sep - 15 | *        | 4              | 12          | 13          | 1           | *        |
| 6      |            | Oct - 15 | *        | 1              | 2           | 17          | 9           | *        |
| 6      | Delhi      | Nov - 15 | *        | *              | *           | 2           | 20          | 8        |
| 6      |            | Dec - 15 | *        | *              | 3           | 11          | 16          | *        |
| 6      |            | Jan - 16 | *        | *              | *           | 3           | 23          | 5        |
| 7      |            | Sep - 15 | 1        | 13             | 10          | *           | *           | *        |
| 7      |            | Oct - 15 | *        | *              | 12          | 13          | 5           | *        |
| 7      | Faridabad  | Nov - 15 | *        | *              | 1           | 6           | 17          | 6        |
| 7      |            | Dec - 15 | *        | *              | *           | 5           | 19          | 4        |
| 7      |            | Jan - 16 | *        | *              | *           | 1           | 6           | 12       |
| 8      |            | Sep - 15 | *        | *              | *           | *           | *           | *        |
| 8      |            | Oct - 15 | *        | *              | *           | *           | *           | *        |
| 8      | Gaya       | Nov - 15 | *        | *              | *           | *           | *           | *        |
| 8      |            | Dec - 15 | *        | *              | *           | 3           | 1           | *        |
| 8      |            | Jan - 16 | *        | *              | 2           | 14          | 9           | *        |
| 9      |            | Sep - 15 | *        | *              | *           | *           | *           | *        |
| 9      |            | Oct - 15 | *        | *              | *           | *           | *           | *        |
| 9      | Gurgoan    | Nov - 15 | *        | *              | *           | *           | *           | *        |
| 9      |            | Dec - 15 | *        | *              | 6           | *           | *           | *        |
| 9      |            | Jan - 16 | *        | *              | 1           | 1           | *           | *        |
| 10     | Haldia     | Sep - 15 | *        | *              | *           | *           | *           | *        |
| 10     |            | Oct - 15 | *        | *              | *           | *           | *           | *        |
| 10     |            | Nov - 15 | *        | *              | *           | *           | *           | *        |

| S.No   | Months            | Good     | Satisfactory   | Moderate    | Poor        | Very Poor   | Severe   |
|--------|-------------------|----------|----------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|----------|
| S.No   | Dec - 15          | (0-50) * | (51-100)       | (101-200) 2 | (201-300) * | (301-400) * | (>401) * |
| S.No   | Jan - 16          | *        | 1 12           | 8           |             |             |          |
|        | Sep - 15          | *        | 5              | 18          | 5           | *           | *        |
|        | Oct - 15          | *        | 4              | 17          | 8           | 1           | *        |
|        | Nov - 15          | *        | 15             | 14          | 1           | *           | *        |
|        | Dec - 15          | *        | 18             | 11          |             |             |          |
|        | Jan - 16          | *        | 5              | 24          | 2           | *           | *        |
|        | Sep - 15          | *        | *              | *           | *           | *           | *        |
|        | Oct - 15          | *        | *              | *           | *           | *           | *        |
|        | Nov - 15          | *        | *              | *           | *           | *           | *        |
|        | Dec - 15          | 1        | *              | *           | 7           | 9           | *        |
|        | Jan - 16          | *        | *              | *           | 9           | 7           | *        |
|        | Sep - 15          | *        | *              | *           | *           | *           | *        |
|        | Oct - 15          | *        | *              | *           | *           | *           | *        |
|        | Nov - 15          | *        | *              | *           | *           | *           | *        |
|        | Dec - 15          | *        | *              | *           | 15          | 11          | *        |
|        | Jan - 16 Sep - 15 | * *      | * 15           | 3 12        | 10 1        | 11 *        | *        |
|        | Oct - 15          | *        | 1              | 10          | 11          | 8           | *        |
|        | Nov - 15          | *        | *              | *           | 10          | 18          | *        |
|        | Dec - 15          | *        | 1              | *           | 4           | 18          | 6        |
|        | Jan - 16 Sep - 15 | * *      | 1 5            | * 17        | 1 1         | 21 *        | 5 *      |
|        | Oct - 15          | *        | 4              | 4           | 8           | 4           | *        |
|        | Nov - 15          | *        | *              | *           | 3           |             | 10       |
|        | Dec - 15          | *        | *              | *           | 5           | 10 15       | 6        |
|        | Jan - 16          | *        | *              | 1           | 3           | 21          | 2        |
|        | Sep - 15          | *        | 27             | 2           | *           | *           | *        |
|        | Oct - 15          | *        | 11             | 15          | 4           | *           | *        |
|        | Nov - 15          | *        | 7              | 14          | *           | *           | *        |
|        | Dec - 15          | *        | 1              | 25          | 1           | *           | *        |
|        | Jan - 16 Sep - 15 | * *      | 2 *            | 20 2        | 6 *         | 1 *         | * *      |
|        |                   |          | 3              | 12          |             |             |          |
|        | Oct - 15 Nov - 15 | *        | 1              | *           | 3           | * 19        | * 4      |
|        | Dec - 15          | *        | *              | *           | 5           | 10          |          |
|        | Jan - 16          | *        | *              | *           | * *         | 8           | 13 20    |
|        | Sep - 15          | * *      | 21             | 6           | *           | *           | *        |
|        |                   |          | 16             | 12          | 1           | *           | *        |
|        | Oct - 15 Nov - 15 | * *      | 9              | 20          | *           | *           | *        |
|        | Dec - 15          | *        | 9              | 19          | *           | *           | *        |
|        | Jan - 16          | *        | 10 *           | 18 *        | * *         | * *         | *        |
|        | Sep - 15          | *        |                |             |             |             | *        |
|        | Oct - 15          | *        | *              | *           | *           | *           | *        |
|        | Nov - 15          | *        | *              | *           | *           | *           | *        |
|        | Dec - 15          | *        | 4              | 5           | *           | *           | *        |
|        | Jan - 16          | 2        | 6              | 6           | 4           | *           | *        |
|        | Sep - 15          | *        | 1              | 6           | 1           | *           | *        |
|        | Oct - 15          | *        | *              | 4           | 6           | 1           | *        |
|        | Nov - 15          | *        | *              | *           | 2           | 8           | 5        |
|        | Dec - 15 Jan - 16 | * *      | * *            | * 1         | 1           | 8           | 7 11     |
|        | Sep - 15          | *        | 14             | 11          | 1 1         | 8 *         | *        |
|        | Oct - 15          | *        | 6              | 20          | 3           | *           | *        |
|        | Nov - 15          | *        | 2              | 5           | 18          | 1           |          |
|        |                   |          |                |             |             |             | *        |
|        | Dec - 15          | *        | 1              | 10          | 13          | 2           | *        |

| S.No   | Cities   | Months   | Good   | Satisfactory   | Moderate   | Poor      | Very Poor   | Severe   |
|--------|----------|----------|--------|----------------|------------|-----------|-------------|----------|
|        |          |          | (0-50) | (51-100)       | (101-200)  | (201-300) | (301-400)   | (>401)   |
| 22     | Solapur  | Sep - 15 | *      | *              | *          | *         | *           | *        |
| 22     | Solapur  | Oct - 15 | *      | *              | *          | *         | *           | *        |
| 22     | Solapur  | Nov - 15 | *      | *              | *          | *         | *           | *        |
| 22     | Solapur  | Dec - 15 | *      | *              | *          | *         | *           | *        |
| 22     | Solapur  | Jan - 16 | *      | 2              | 12         | *         | *           | *        |
| 23     | Varanasi | Sep - 15 | *      | 7              | 17         | 2         | *           | *        |
| 23     | Varanasi | Oct - 15 | *      | 2              | 10         | 11        | 3           | *        |
| 23     | Varanasi | Nov - 15 | *      | *              | 1          | 10        | 18          | *        |
| 23     | Varanasi | Dec - 15 | *      | *              | 1          | *         | 14          | 6        |
| 23     | Varanasi | Jan - 16 | *      | *              | *          | *         | 8           | 18       |

Above shows the number of days in respective month and * is for either AQI bulletin not generated / station not connected for generation of AQI or data not available.