Lok Sabha Question No. 233 (STARRED), answered on 2015-12-15
Subject: Pollution in Delhi
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: NANABHAU FALGUNRAO PATOLE, ARJUN RAM  MEGHWAL

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

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 233

TO BE ANSWERED ON 15.12.2015

## Pollution in Delhi

## *233.   SHRI NANA PATOLE: SHRI ARJUN MEGHWAL:

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

- (a) whether Delhi is experiencing smog continuously during the current winter season;
- (b) if so, the areas in Delhi which are severely affected by smog and resultant air pollution;
- (c) whether air pollution in Delhi is far worse than Beijing in China and if so, the corrective measures taken by the Government in this regard;
- (d) whether the Government proposes to introduce car free days in certain parts of Delhi to tide over the crisis; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof and the steps taken by the Government to introduce cycling in these areas to reduce pollution in Delhi?

## ANSWER

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

(SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)

(a) to (e): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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Statement referred to in reply to Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 233 due for  reply  on    15.12.2015  regarding  'Pollution  in  Delhi'  by  SHRI  NANA PATOLE and SHRI ARJUN MEGHWAL, Hon'ble Members of Parliament

(a) & (b) Ministry  of  Earth  Sciences  has  informed  that  the  usual  phenomenon  of moderate fog/ smog/haze has been reported at some places during the current winter season in Delhi. Smog is a mixture of smoke and fog and it occurs when emissions from industry, motor  vehicles,  incinerators,  open  burning  of  garbage,  biomass,  etc.  and  other  sources accumulate under certain climatic conditions.

- (c) Ambient air quality data of Beijing city is not available with this Ministry. The various steps taken to improve ambient air quality in Delhi inter-alia include;
- Notification  of  National  Ambient  Air  Quality  Standards  (2009),  envisaging  12 pollutants;
- Formulation of regulations / statutes;
- Introduction of cleaner / alternate fuels and promotion of public transport network;
- Setting up of monitoring network for assessment of ambient air quality;
- Creation of infrastructure for pollution control;
- Promotion of cleaner production processes, setting up of common pollution control facilities etc.

The Government, after  realizing  the  gravity  of  air  pollution,  has  also  taken  more  concrete measures as listed below:

- Clean India Mission (Swatch Bharat Abhiyan) launched on 2nd October, 2014;
- Implementation of Bharat Stage IV norms in the 63 selected cities and Bharat Stage III norms in rest of the country;
- National  Air  Quality  index  launched  by  the  Prime  Minister  in  April,  2015  starting with 10 cities;
- Banning of burning of leaves, biomass, municipal solid waste in cities like Delhi;
- Relevant draft rules, including those pertaining to construction and demolition waste notified;
- Co-ordination  meetings  held  at  official  and  ministerial  level  with  Delhi  and  other State Governments within the National Capital Region (NCR);
- Short-term  plan  has  been  reviewed    and  long-term  plans  have  been  formulated  by States to mitigate pollution in NCR;
- Stringent industrial standards have been formulated and notified for public/stakeholder's  comments;  standards  for  sugar  industry,  thermal  power  plants and CETPs have been finalized;
- Government  is  giving  high  priority  for  public  partnership  in  lane  discipline,  car pooling, vehicle maintenance, pollution under control certification, idling of vehicles etc;
- Out  of  3386  major  industries,  1782  industries  have  installed  on-line  continuous (24X7) monitoring devices; others are in process of installing; and
- Construction  of  peripheral  eastern  and  western  expressways  around  Delhi  to  divert non-destined vehicles.

(d) & (e) The Government of NCT of Delhi has observed first car-free day campaign 'Ab Bus Karein' on 22 nd October 2015 in old Delhi and second on 22 nd November, 2015 in Dwarka  for  limited  duration.  Dedicated  cycle  track  have  been  laid  along  certain  roads  in Delhi to promote cycling.

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