Lok Sabha Question No. 39 (STARRED), answered on 2015-12-01
Subject: Air Pollution Due to Construction Waste
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: KRISHNAN NARAYANASAMY RAMACHANDRAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION No. 39

TO BE ANSWERED ON 01.12.2015

## Air Pollution Due to Construction Waste

## *39. SHRI K.N. RAMACHANDRAN:

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  construction  waste  is  a  major  source  of  air pollution in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  reduce/control  air  pollution  caused  by construction waste;
- (c) whether  the  Government  has  formulated  rules/guidelines  to  regulate  construction waste and management of solid wastes in the country and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) the steps taken by the Government to ensure the implementation of the rules?

## 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.

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  to  (d)  OF  THE  LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 39 FOR 01.12.2015 BY SHRI K.N. RAMACHANDRAN REGARDING  AIR  POLLUTION  DUE  TO  CONSTRUCTION WASTE:

- (a) Yes Sir.  As per the report on Source Apportionment Studies undertaken by the Central Pollution Control Board in association with other leading institutions in six metropolitan cities including Delhi during the year 2007-09, contribution of construction activities to dust particles (particulate matter) in ambient air ranged between 22-23% in these cities.
- (b) to  (c)    The  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change  (MoEF&CC)  has notified  the  Municipal  Solid  Waste  (MSW)  (Management  and  Handling)  Rules,  2000 under  the  Environment  (Protection)  Act,  1986.    These  Rules  provide  procedures  for management  of  municipal  solid  waste  including  construction  and  demolition  waste (C&D).  As per these  Rules,  C&D  waste  or  debris  should  be  collected  separately  and disposed off in accordance with State laws. Secondly, Environment Impact Assessment Notification,  2006  regulates  construction  activities  through  environmental  clearance process  with  specific  conditions  for  prevention,  abatement  and  control  of  air  pollution during  construction  by  prescribing  safeguards  to  ensure  that  construction  wastes  are handled  and  disposed  off  in  environmentally  sound  manner  ensuring  reduction  and minimizing  particulate  matter  released  in  ambient  air.    The  Ministry  has  also  notified Draft Solid Waste Management Rules, 2015 for environmentally sound management of construction and demolition waste which inter-alia include mandatory approval of waste management plan by bulk generators of construction and demolition waste.
- (d) The Secretary in-charge, Department of Urban Development of the concerned State or Union  Territory  has  the  overall  responsibility  for  enforcement  of  provisions  of  MSW (Management  and  Handling)  Rules,  2000  in  the  metropolitan  cities.  The  District Magistrate or the Deputy Commissioner of the concerned district has the responsibility for enforcement of provisions of MSW (Management and Handling) Rules, 2000 within their jurisdiction. The Urban Local Bodies to submit Annual Report on implementation of the  Rules  to  the  State  Urban  Development  Department  and  to  State  Pollution  Control Board (SPCB). The annual Reports submitted by all SPCBs are examined and submitted by Central Pollution Control board CPCB with recommendation to MOEFCC. MoEFCC has repeatedly emphasized with the State Governments to ensure effective implementation of the Rules.

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