Lok Sabha Question No. 1464 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-07-26
Subject: Pollution Control Measures
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: HUKUM SINGH

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1464

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 26.07.2016

## Pollution Control Measures

## 1464. SHRI HUKUM SINGH:

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

- (a) whether adoption of solar power over fossil fuels would be the only solution to India's increasing pollution; and
- (b) if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  steps  being  taken  by  the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

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

(SHRI ANIL MADHAV DAVE)

- (a) & (b) No, Sir. In addition to promotion of solar power, the government is  taking  various  steps  to  control  the  pollution  from  various  sources including pollution from fossil fuels. The major steps being taken by the
- Government to control the air pollution i ii ii  ii i i include the following:-
- (i) Notification of National Ambient Air Quality Standards;
- (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 (CNG, LPG etc.), ethanol blend etc.;
- (v) Promotion of cleaner production processes;
- (vi) Launching of National Air Quality index by the Prime Minister in April, 2015;
- (vii) Implementation of Bharat Stage IV (BS-IV) norms in 63 selected cities and universalization of BS-IV by 2017;
- (viii) Decision  taken  to  leapfrog  directly  from  BS-IV  to  BS-VI  fuel standards by 1st April, 2020;
- (ix) Taxing  polluting  vehicles  and  incentivizing  hybrid  and  electric vehicles;
- (x) Comprehensive amendments to various Waste Management Rules including Municipal Solid Waste, Plastic Waste, Hazardous Waste, Bio-medical Waste and Electronic Waste notified;
- (xi) Notification  of  Construction  and  Demolition  Waste  Management Rules;
- (xii) Ban on burning of leaves, biomass, municipal solid waste;
- (xiii) Promotion  of public transport network of metro, buses, erickshaws and promotion of car pooling, Pollution Under Control, lane discipline, vehicle maintenance;
- (xiv) Revision of existing  environmental  standards  and  formulation  of new  standards  for  prevention  and  control  of  pollution  from industries;
- (xv) Regular  co-ordination  meetings  at  official  and  ministerial  level with Delhi and other State Governments within the NCR;
- (xvi) 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 for prevention of pollution from various sources including switching over to Natural Gas by industries, wherever feasible;
- (xvii) Installation  of  on-line  continuous  (24x7)  monitoring  devices  by
- major industries;

(xviii) Revision  of  emission  standards  including  thermal  power  plants, cement plants, etc.

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