Lok Sabha Question No. 2629 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-05-10
Subject: Environmental Pollution in Rural Areas
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: SONA RAM CHOUDHARY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION N0. 2629

TO BE ANSWERED ON 10.05.2016

## Environmental Pollution in Rural Areas

## 2629. COL. SONARAM CHOUDHARY:

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

- (a)   whether the environment is getting polluted especially in rural areas;
- (b)  if so, the corrective steps taken in this regard including awareness generation about pollution control measures amongst the rural public;
- (c) the amount allocated for mitigation of pollution during the last three years and the current year, State-wise including Rajasthan in this regard; and
- (d)   the details of specific directions proposed to be issued and facilities likely to be provided to the State Governments to control pollution?

## ANSWER

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

(SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)

(a) Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in association with State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs)  /  Pollution  Control  Committees  (PCCs)  is  monitoring  air  quality,  water  quality  and noise  levels  across  the  country  under  National  Air  Quality  Monitoring  Programme  (NAMP), National Water Quality  Monitoring  Programme  (NWMP)  and  National  Ambient  Noise Monitoring  Network  (NANMN)  respectively.  The  NAMP  network  comprises  612  operating monitoring  stations  located  in  254  cities/towns  in  29  states  and  5  UTs.  The  NWMP  network comprises of 2500 locations covering 445 rivers, 154 lakes, 12 tanks, 78 ponds, 25 canals, 41 creeks, 45 drains, 10 water treatment plants and 807 groundwater wells in 29 states and 6 UTs. The NANMN network covers 7 metro cities. CPCB does not have monitoring network in rural areas.  However  ambient  air  quality  monitoring  is  conducted  in  04  locations  in  rural  areas  in Punjab under NAMP. The analysis of air quality data during 2015 indicates that the values of SO2 and NO2 within the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) put particulate matter exceeding the NAAQS at all 4 locations.

- (b) The  measures  taken  by  the  Government  to  control  pollution inter alia 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 including noise and water quality;
- (iv) Introduction of cleaner / alternate fuels like gaseous fuel (CNG, LPG etc.), ethanol blend etc.;
- (v) Promotion of cleaner production processes; and
- (vi) Preparation  of  action  plan  for  sewage  management  and  restoration  of  water  quality  in aquatic resources by State Governments.

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

- (i) Launched National Air Quality index by the Prime Minister in April, 2015;
- (ii) Decision  taken  to  leapfrog  directly  from  BS-IV  to  BS-VI  fuel  standards  by  1 st April, 2020;
- (iii) Taxing polluting vehicles and incentivizing hybrid and electric vehicles;
- (iv) Mitigating  action  to  comply  with  effluent  standards  by  SPCBs  /  PCCs  to  improve  the water quality of the rivers;
- (v) Comprehensive amendments to various Waste Management Rules including Municipal Solid  Waste,  Plastic  Waste,  Hazardous  Waste,  Bio-medical  Waste  and  Electronic Waste notified;
- (vi) Expanding ambit of Solid Waste and Plastic Waste Management Rules to rural areas;
- (vii) Notification of Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules.
- (viii) Ban on burning of leaves, biomass, municipal solid waste;
- (ix) Financial assistance for installation of Common Effluent Treatment Plants for cluster of Small Scale Industrial units;
- (x) Revision  of  existing  environmental  standards  and  formulation  of  new  standards  for prevention and control of pollution from industries;
- (xi) Regular co-ordination meetings at official and ministerial level with Delhi and other State Governments within the NCR;
- (xii) 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;
- (xiii) Issuance of directions for Zero Liquid Discharge / water conservation;
- (xiv) Installation of on-line continuous (24x7) monitoring devices by major industries; and
- (xv) Setting up of a control room in CPCB to review and monitor air quality.

The steps taken for awareness generation regarding the pollution control measures include:

- (i) Issuing of advertisements in print and electronic media;
- (ii) Conducting of field level awareness campaigns;
- (iii) Consultation  before  finalization  of  standards/rules  etc.  by  calling  comments  from stakeholders and public;
- (iv) Conducting of workshops for stakeholders;
- (v) Dissemination of information to the public through web portal and electronic display;
- (vi) Running  of  special  trains  which  included  the  Science  Express  Climate  Action  Special flagged off on 15-10-2015.

(c) The amount allocated for mitigation of pollution during the last three years and the current year, State-wise including Rajasthan is annexed.

(d) The CPCB has issued 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 to Delhi Pollution Control Committee and State Pollution Control Boards of NCR states for initiating time bound action for prevention, control and abatement of air pollution and improvement of Air Quality which inter alia include control of vehicular emissions; control of road dust/re-suspension of dust and other fugitive emission; control of air pollution from bio-mass burning; control of industrial air pollution; control of air pollution from construction and demolition activities; and other steps to control pollution.

******

## ANNEXURE

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARA (c) OF THE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2629 DUE FOR REPLY ON 10.05.2016 REGARDING 'ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION  IN  RURAL  AREAS'  BY  SHRI  COL.  SONARAM  CHOUDHARY,  HON'BLE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT

## Details of Payment Released to Various Monitoring Agencies under National Air Quality Monitoring Programme (NAMP)

| Sl. No.   | Name of Monitoring Agency   | 2012-13 (Amount in Rs.)   | 2013-14 (Amount in Rs.)   | 2014-15 (Amount in Rs.)   | 2015-16 (Amount in Rs.)   |
|-----------|-----------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|
| 1         | Andhra Pradesh SPCB         | 9365000                   | 8450000                   | 7666250                   | -                         |
| 2         | Assam SPCB                  | 2920000                   | 8690000                   | 7842500                   | -                         |
| 3         | Chandigarh PCC              | 248333                    | 1986667                   | -                         | -                         |
| 4         | Chattisgarh ECB             | 1373750                   | -                         | -                         | 1526250                   |
| 5         | Gujarat SPCB                | 805000                    | 3809583                   | -                         | -                         |
| 6         | Goa SPCB                    | 9248000                   | 8882500                   | 7125000                   | 7789333                   |
| 7         | Jharkhand SPCB              | 1960000                   | -                         | -                         | -                         |
| 8         | Himachal Pradesh SEP & PCB  | 3480000                   | 5578333                   | -                         | 10128333                  |
| 9         | Karnataka SPCB              | 2867500                   | -                         | 354167                    | 6749583                   |
| 10        | Kerala SPCB                 | 3808333                   | -                         | 6474167                   | -                         |
| 11        | Maharashtra SPCB            | 9428750                   | 7467083                   | -                         | -                         |
| 12        | Meghalaya SPCB              | 2496667                   | 2297500                   | -                         | 7845833                   |
| 13        | Madhya Pradesh SPCB         | 5153583                   | -                         | -                         | -                         |
| 14        | Mizoram SPCB                | 472500                    | 5931667                   | 1765000                   | 5413333                   |
| 15        | Nagaland SPCB               | 793333                    | 1360000                   | 906667                    | -                         |
| 16        | Orissa SPCB                 | 3956417                   | -                         | 5734583                   | -                         |
| 17        | Punjab SPCB                 | -                         | -                         | 7795417                   | -                         |
| 18        | Pondicherry PCC             | 1266000                   | -                         | -                         | -                         |
| 19        | Rajasthan SPCB              | 4788750                   | -                         | -                         | 4218750                   |
| 20        | Tamil Nadu SPCB             | 5327000                   | 4399166                   | 2358333                   | -                         |
| 21        | Uttar Pradesh SPCB          | 4150000                   | 9586667                   | -                         | 7263333                   |
| 22        | Uttarakhand EP&PCB          | -                         | 3694334                   | -                         | 4085833                   |
| 23        | NEERI                       | 4860000                   | -                         | 7047000                   | 10800000                  |
| 24        | IIT Kanpur                  | 458366                    | 450000                    | 3709378                   | -                         |
|           | Total                       | 79227282                  | 72583500                  | 58778462                  | 65820581                  |

Note:-  SPCB  -  State  Pollution  Control  Board,  SEP&PCB  -  State  Environment  Protection  &  Pollution Control Board, EP& PCB - Environment Protection & Pollution Control Board, PCC - Pollution Control Committee. NEERI is at present monitoring in 6 cities in 5 different states/Union territories namely Delhi, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.

Details  of  fund  released  (in  Rs.)  to  SPCBs  /  PCCs  towards  National  Water  Quality ANNEXURE Contd. ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARA  (c)  OF  THE  LOK  SABHA  UNSTARRED QUESTION  NO.  2629  DUE  FOR  REPLY  ON  10.05.2016  REGARDING  'ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION IN RURAL AREAS' BY SHRI COL. SONARAM CHOUDHARY, HON'BLE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT

## Monitoring Programme

| STATE / UT                     | 2012-13   |   2013-14 |                             |   2015-16 |
|--------------------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------------------------|-----------|
| Andhra Pradesh                 | 3880109   |   2653674 | 2014-15 NO PAYMENT RELEASED |   2481784 |
| Arunachal Pradesh              | 14825     |         0 |                             |         0 |
| Assam                          | 1347990   |    617140 |                             |   1331010 |
| Bihar                          | 2205519   |   1910413 |                             |   1328964 |
| Chattisgarh                    | 771405    |    981535 |                             |    914385 |
| Goa                            | 1252205   |   1697490 |                             |    141540 |
| Gujarat                        | 477650    |    302762 |                             |   1513411 |
| Haryana                        | 66026     |     14189 |                             |     66028 |
| Himachal Pradesh               | 2497680   |   3023765 |                             |   4483840 |
| Jammu & Kashmir                | 241085    |   1496715 |                             |         0 |
| Jharkhand                      | 1242810   |    165435 |                             |         0 |
| Karnataka                      | 1298218   |   1888989 |                             |    925981 |
| Kerala                         | 3005010   |   3315827 |                             |   3899767 |
| Madhya Pradesh                 | 1177919   |   1899376 |                             |    671822 |
| Maharastra                     | 5719058   |   4182476 |                             |   2859707 |
| Manipur                        | 1105395   |         0 |                             |         0 |
| Meghalaya                      | 801445    |     56640 |                             |   3576450 |
| Mizoram                        | 195030    |    303855 |                             |    602635 |
| Nagaland                       | 93945     |    143745 |                             |    104880 |
| Orissa                         | 2676000   |   3052593 |                             |   3147859 |
| Punjab                         | 470768    |    488440 |                             |    764512 |
| Rajasthan                      | 1251002   |   1992251 |                             |   1195971 |
| Sikkim                         | 338640    |         0 |                             |         0 |
| Tamil Nadu                     | 1703185   |   2012914 |                             |   1061221 |
| Tripura                        | 179390    |    138450 |                             |     81595 |
| Uttar Pradesh                  | 1974211   |   1488119 |                             |    343862 |
| Uttaranchal                    | 579445    |   1665015 |                             |    264925 |
| West Bengal                    | 11771     |   1943487 |                             |   5036455 |
| Chandigarh                     | 135300    |     11670 |                             |         0 |
| Lakshedweep                    | -         |         0 |                             |    474825 |
| Pondicherry                    | 130070    |    122105 |                             |    109725 |
| Daman, Diu, Dadra Nagar Haveli | 109830    |    120960 |                             |         0 |