Lok Sabha Question No. 2721 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-08-02
Subject: Air Quality Index
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: MAUSAM NOOR

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2721

TO BE ANSWERED ON 02/08/2016

## Air Quality Index

## 2721. SHRIMATI MAUSAM NOOR:

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

- (a)   whether  the  Government  has  revised/  improved  daily  data  collection  mechanism  for ascertaining Air Quality Index (AQI) in various cities, especially the metro cities;
- (b)   if so, the details and findings thereof;
- (c)   whether the Government has sought details from Maharashtra where Air Quality Index (AQI) has crossed 350 mark; and
- (d)   if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

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

## (SHRI ANIL MADHAV DAVE)

- (a) Yes, Sir.

(b) Air quality is being monitored using continuous or manual monitoring systems. Data from continuous  monitoring  systems  are  available  on  near  real-time  basis  whereas  for  manual stations with a time lag. The National Air Quality Index (AQI) has been launched by Hon'ble Prime Minister on April 06, 2015. This is the web-based system designed to provide AQI on real  time  basis  considering  eight  pollutants  i.e.  Sulphur  Dioxide,  Nitrogen  Dioxide,  Lead, Ozone, PM10, PM2.5, Carbon Monoxide and Ammonia for short term (upto 24 hourly) norms as  prescribed  in  the  National  Ambient  Air  Quality  Standards  (NAAQS-2009).  It  is  an automated  system  that  captures  data  from  continuous  monitoring  stations  without  human intervention, and displays AQI based on running average values (e.g. AQI at 6 am on a day will  incorporate  data  for  6  am  on  previous  day  to  the  current  day).  The  AQI  is  being calculated  on  average  of  24  hourly  basis  for  the  criteria  pollutants.  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. 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 webbased  system  of  National  AQI.  They  are  Agra,  Ahmedabad,  Bangaluru,  Chandrapur, Chennai,  Delhi,  Faridabad,  Gaya,  Gurgaon,  Haldia,  Hyderabad,  Jaipur,  Jodhpur,  Kanpur, Lucknow,  Mumbai,  Muzaffarpur,  Navi  Mumbai,  Panchkula,  Patna,  Pune,  Solapur  and Varanasi.

(c) & (d) In Maharashtra, AQI is being monitored in two metro cities namely; Mumbai and Pune with 10 and 9 numbers of monitoring stations, respectively. AQI monitoring is being done through joint program by Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune and Municipal Corporation  of  Grater  Mumbai  and  Pune.  It  has  been  observed  that  the  value  of  AQI sometimes even crosses 300 marks which falls under the category of very poor / severe in Pune  whereas  in  Mumbai  it  has  not  crossed  300  marks.  Government  of  Maharashtra  has taken  note  of  poor  air  quality  in  these  metro  cities  and  has  taken  various  steps  including organization of stakeholders workshop along with expert organizations like NEERI and IIT Mumbai at Pune.

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