Lok Sabha Question No. 1694 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-03-08
Subject: Testing of Pollution Level
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: K. KAMARAAJ

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION N0. 1694

TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.03.2016

## Testing of Pollution Level

## 1694. DR. K. KAMARAJ:

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

- (a)   whether the Government or any of its agencies are conducting periodic test on the level of pollution in various cities of the country including Delhi;
- (b) if so, the details thereof during each of the last three years, State-wise along with the names of most polluted cities in the country, State/UT and serial-wise in each of the years 2012-13, 2013-14, 2014- 2015;
- (c) whether the Government has fixed pollution standard for cities in the country;
- (d)  if so, the details thereof; and
- (e)   the steps taken by the Government to make the cities pollution free in the country?

## ANSWER

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

(a) & (b) Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in association with State Pollution Control Boards  (SPCBs)  /  Pollution  Control  Committees  (PCCs)  is  monitoring  air  and  water  bodies across  the  country  under  National  Air  Quality  Monitoring  Programme  (NAMP)  and  National Water Quality Monitoring Programme (NWMP). The NAMP network presently comprises 612 operating  monitoring  stations  located  in  254  cities/towns  in  29  states  and  5  union  territories across the country. Three air pollutants viz. Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx) and Particulate Matter (PM) of size less than or equal to 10 micron (PM10) are being monitored at all the locations. Other parameters like PM2.5, Carbon monoxide (CO), Ammonia (NH3), Lead (Pb),  Ozone (O3), Benzene (C6H6), Benzo (a) pyrene, Arsenic (As) and Nickel (Ni) are being monitored at selected locations and are being added to the monitoring network under National Air Quality Monitoring Programme (NAMP). Air quality data for million plus cities including Delhi during 2012, 2013 and 2014 is annexed.

CPCB in association with SPCBs is assessing the aquatic resources at 2500 locations (surface water  &  ground  water)  in  the  country  under  National  Water  Quality  Monitoring  Programme. CPCB has carried out comprehensive assessment of water quality of surface water resources and identified 302 polluted river stretches on 275 rivers. One of the major sources of water pollution is discharge of treated/untreated/ partially treated sewage in water resources. It is estimated that the  total  volume  of  municipal  waste  water  generation  in  the  country  is  about  61948  MLD whereas the sewage treatment capacity developed so far is 23277 MLD leaving a wide gap of more than 38,671 MLD.

(c) &  (d)  CPCB  has  identified  and  formulated  the  National  Ambient  Air  Quality  Standards (NAAQS)  on  April  11,  1994  which  was  notified  in  Gazette  of  India,  Extra-ordinary  Part-II Section  3,  sub  section  (ii),  dated  May  20,  1994.  The  revised  National  Ambient  Air  Quality Standards  notified  on  November,  2009  comprises  12  pollutants  namely,  PM10,  PM2.5,  Carbon Monoxide  (CO),  Sulphur  Dioxide  (SO2),  Nitrogen  Dioxide  (NO2),  Ammonia  (NH3),  ground level Ozone (O3), Lead, Arsenic, Nickel, Benzene and BaP (particulate phase). These standards are  not  city  or  area  specific;  rather  they  are  applicable  to  the  entire  country.  More  stringent standards are prescribed for ecologically sensitive area.

(e) Major steps taken by the Government to make the cities pollution free in the country include the following:

- (i) Notification of National Ambient  Air  Quality Standards (2009), envisaging 12 pollutants;
- (ii) Formulation of environmental regulations / statutes;
- (iii) Setting up of monitoring network for assessment of ambient air and water quality;
- (iv) Introduction of cleaner / alternate fuels like gaseous fuel, ethanol blend etc. replacing petrol and diesel;
- (v) Promotion of cleaner production processes;

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 starting with 14 cities and now extended to 22 cities;
- II. Implementation of Bharat Stage IV (BS-IV) norms in 63 selected cities and universalization of BS-IV by 2017;
- III. Decision taken to leapfrog directly from BS-IV to BS-VI fuel standards;
- IV. Ban on burning of leaves, biomass, municipal solid waste;
- V. Promotion of public transport network of metro, buses, e-rickshaws and promotion of car pooling, Pollution Under Control, lane discipline, vehicle maintenance;
- VI. Revision  of  existing  environmental  standards  and  formulation  of  new  standards  for prevention and control of pollution from industries.
- VII. Regular co-ordination meetings at official  and  ministerial  level  with  Delhi  and  other State Governments
- VIII. Preparation of action plan for sewage management and restoration of water quality in aquatic resources by State Governments;
- IX. Action to comply with effluent standards is taken by SPCBs / PCCs to improve   the water quality of the rivers;
- X. Installation  of  Online  Effluent  Monitoring  System  to  check  the  discharge  of  effluent directly into the rivers and water bodies;
- XI. Issuance  of  directions  under  Section  5  of  Environment  (Protection)  Act,  1986  to industries and under Section 18(1)(b) of Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.
- XII. Installation of Common Effluent Treatment Plants for cluster of Small Scale Industrial units;

***

## Annexure

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARA (a) & (b) OF THE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1694 DUE FOR REPLY ON 08.03.2016 REGARDING TESTING OF POLLUTION LEVEL BY DR. K. KAMARAJ, HON'BLE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT.

## Air quality status of million plus cities for 2012, 2013 and 2014 (Annual average (µg/m 3 )

| S.      | City                  | State               | 2012   | 2012   | 2012    | 2013   | 2013   | 2013   | 2014   | 2014   | 2014     |
|---------|-----------------------|---------------------|--------|--------|---------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|----------|
| No.     |                       |                     | SO 2   | NO 2   | PM 10   | SO 2   | NO 2   | PM 10  | SO 2   | NO 2   | PM 10    |
| 1.      | Agra                  | Uttar Pradesh       | 5      | 23     | 196*    | 5      | 21     | 184*   | 8      | 12     | 182*     |
| 2.      | Ahmedabad             | Gujarat             | 12     | 24     | 83*     | 12     | 17     | 79*    | 13     | 20     | 85*      |
| 3.      | Allahabad             | Uttar Pradesh       | 4      | 32     | 317*    | 5      | 29     | 235*   | 4      | 28     | 250*     |
| 4.      | Amritsar              | Punjab              | 15     | 39     | 202*    | 13     | 40     | 180*   | 14     | 42*    | 187*     |
| 5.      | Aurangabad            | Maharashtra         | 9      | 32     | 80*     | 10     | 37     | 84*    | 12     | 39     | 85*      |
| 6.      | Bangalore             | Karnataka           | 14     | 28     | 121*    | 13     | 26     | 113*   | 13     | 30     | 140*     |
| 7.      | Bhopal                | Madhya Pradesh      | 3      | 21     | 173*    | 3      | 26     | 220*   | 2      | 20     | 156*     |
| 8.      | Chennai               | Tamilnadu           | 12     | 21     | 57      | 14     | 22     | 75*    | 13     | 22     | 59       |
| 9.      | Coimbatore            | Tamilnadu           | 3      | 27     | 68*     | 4      | 24     | 56     | 5      | 25     | 48       |
| 10.     | Delhi (DMC)           | Delhi               | 5      | 59*    | 237*    | 4      | 66*    | 221*   | 5      | 61*    | 215*     |
| 11.     | Dhanbad               | Jharkhand           | 17     | 40     | 178*    | 16     | 40     | 151*   | 14     | 37     | 162*     |
| 12.     | Faridabad             | Haryana             | 12     | 38     | 184*    | 12     | 26     | 196*   | 13     | 25     | 197*     |
| 13.     | Ghaziabad             | Uttar Pradesh       | 30     | 34     | 248*    | 26     | 34     | 285*   | 26     | 39     | 246*     |
| 14.     | Gwalior               | Madhya Pradesh      | 13     | 27     | 329*    | 13     | 27     | 197*   | 11     | 17     | 148*     |
| 15.     | Howrah                | West Bengal         | 13     | 40     | 186*    | 11     | 45*    | 187*   | 9      | 35     | 111      |
| 16.     | Hyderabad (GH)        | Telangana           | 4      | 28     | 79*     | 5      | 24     | 90*    | 5      | 24     | 98*      |
| 17.     | Indore                | Madhya Pradesh      | 12     | 20     | 143*    | 11     | 19     | 156*   | 11     | 20     | 144*     |
| 18.     | Jabalpur              | Madhya Pradesh      | 2      | 24     | 75*     | 2      | 23     | 69*    | 2      | 23     | 69*      |
| 19.     | Jaipur                | Rajasthan           | 9      | 52*    | 187*    | 7      | 40     | 160*   | 7      | 41*    | 154*     |
| 20.     | Jodhpur               | Rajasthan           | 6      | 24     | 189*    | 5      | 23     | 176*   | 7      | 31     | 189*     |
| 21.     | Kalyan Dombivali      | Maharashtra         | IA     | IA     | 114*    | 25     | 54*    | 91*    | 40     | 77*    | 141*     |
| 22.     | Kanpur                | Uttar Pradesh       | 8      | 34     | 215*    | 7      | 31     | 201*   | 5      | 34     | 199*     |
| 23.     | Kolkata               | West Bengal         | 12     | 70*    | 135*    | 11     | 70*    | 159*   | 15     | IA     | 107*     |
| 24.     | Kota                  | Rajasthan           | 8      | 32     | 156*    | 7      | 33     | 122*   | 7      | 35     | 128*     |
| 25.     | Lucknow               | Uttar Pradesh       | 8      | 32     | 211*    | 8      | 29     | 192*   | 8      | 28     | 175*     |
| 26.     | Ludhiana              | Punjab              | 11     | 27     | 228*    | 11     | 26     | 204*   | 10     | 26     | 152*     |
| 27.     | Madurai               | Tamilnadu           | 14     | 30     | 48      | 14     | 22     | 41     | 13     | 26     | 45       |
| 28.     | Meerut                | Uttar Pradesh       | 4      | 43*    | 129*    | 5      | 39     | 134*   | 8      | 48*    | 154*     |
| 29.     | Mumbai                | Maharashtra         | 5      | 20     | 117*    | 3      | 13     | 117*   | 4      | 20     | 95*      |
| 30.     | Nagpur                | Maharashtra         | 10     | 32     | 103*    | 8      | 27     | 89*    | 10     | 25     | 93*      |
| 31.     | Nashik                | Maharashtra         | 24     | 27     | 95*     | 28     | 29     | 85*    | 25     | 26     | 73*      |
| 32.     | Navi Mumbai           | Maharashtra         | 17     | 43*    | 120*    | 17     | 44*    | 137*   | 18     | 40     | 151*     |
| 33.     | Patna                 | Bihar               | 6      | 36     | 166*    | -      | -      | -      | -      | -      | -        |
| 34.     | Pimpri Chinchwad      | Maharashtra         | 22     | 47*    | 89*     | 20     | 43*    | 86*    | 22     | 41*    | 93*      |
| 35.     | Pune                  | Maharashtra         | 22     | 45     | 92      | 20     | 41*    | 88*    | 23     | 45*    | 92*      |
| 36.     | Raipur$               | Chattisgarh         | 14     | 40     | 268*    | 15     | 41*    | 305*   | 16     | 41*    | 329*     |
| 37.     | Rajkot                | Gujarat             | 13     | 17     | 99*     | 12     | 17     | 87*    | 13     | 19     | 82*      |
| 38.     | Ranchi                | Jharkhand           | 18     | 35     | 202*    | 19     | 36     | 177*   | 18     | 34     | 197*     |
|         |                       | Jammu & Kashmir     | @      | @      | @       |        | @      | @      |        | @      | @        |
| 39.     | Shrinagar             |                     |        |        |         | @      | 20     | 88*    | @ 15   | 20     | 89*      |
| 40. 41. | Surat Thane           | Gujarat Maharashtra | 16 20  | 26 12  | 97* 72* | 13 17  | 32     | 110*   | 18     | 60*    | 109* 87* |
| 43.     | Varanasi              | Uttar Pradesh       | 18     | 21     | 138*    | 14 19  | 28     | 145*   | 19     | 32     | 139*     |
| 42.     | Vadodara              | Gujarat             | 16     | 33     | 102*    |        | 19     | 89*    | 15     | 21     |          |
| 44.     | Vasai-virar           | Maharashtra         | NA     | NA     | NA      | NA     | NA     | NA     | NA     | NA     | NA       |
| 45.     | Vijaywada             | Andhra Pradesh      | 6      | 12 13  | 97      | 5      | 19     | 104*   | 5 13   | 24     | 100* 64* |
| 46.     | Vishakhapatnam (GVMC) | Andhra Pradesh      | 12     |        | 65*     | 13     | 18     | 67*    |        | 20     |          |

NB. NA- no monitoring station in the city, @ -monitoring station sanctioned but not yet operational, '-' data not received, IA inadequate data, $ -there are three operating station in Raipur, however during 2013,2014 only one station is in operation, *Concentration exceeding NAAQS of 50 µg/m3 for SO2, 40 µg/m3 for NO2, 60 µg/m3 for PM10, and 40 µg/m3 for PM2.5 for Residential/ industrial / other area & 20 µg/m3 for SO2, 30 µg/m3 for NO2, and 60 µg/m3 for Ecologically sensitive area.