Question : Air Pollution Levels

(a) whether a recent study by the Indian Council of Medical Research has found that 77 percent of country’s population was found to be exposed to ambient air pollution levels above the national safe limit and worst hit States are Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand and 26 percent premature deaths/disease burden have taken place due to air pollution;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) the position in each of these aspects at the time of independence and at present, in all States and Union Territories; and
(d) the corrective steps taken by the Government in each of these aspects?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

(a) & (b) An article ‘’The impact of air pollution on deaths, disease burden, and life expectancy across the states of India: The Global Burden of Disease Study 2017’’ has been published in Lancet Planet Health 2018 on 6th December 2018 funded by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Indian Council of Medical Research, Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. According to the article, 77% of India’s population was exposed to mean PM2.5 more than 40 µg/m3 and Delhi had the highest annual population-weighted mean PM2.5 in 2017, followed by Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Haryana in North India, all with mean values greater than 125 µg/m³. Also as per the article, 26% of global Disability-Adjusted-Life-Years (DALYs) were attributable to air pollution.

(c) Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) is monitoring ambient air quality in 731 locations covering 312 cities/towns in 29 States and 6 Union Territories across the country under National Air Quality Monitoring Programme (NAMP). Under NAMP three pollutants viz. PM10 (Particulate Matter having an aerodynamic diameter less than or equal to 10 µm), Sulphur dioxide (SO2) and Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is being monitored regularly at all locations. PM2.5 (Particulate Matter having an aerodynamic diameter less than or equal to 2.5 µm) is monitored at 205 locations covering 98 cities.
The ambient air quality monitoring with respect to PM2.5 was initiated in 2014 under NAMP. The ambient air quality data for different cities of the country during 2014 and 2017 is attached at Annexure.

(d) The measures taken/being taken by the Government to check environmental pollution, inter alia, include; notification of National Ambient Air Quality Standards; setting up of monitoring network for assessment of ambient air quality; introduction of cleaner / alternate fuels like gaseous fuel (CNG, LPG etc.), ethanol blending; launching of National Air Quality index; universalization of BS-IV from 2017; leapfrogging from BS-IV to BS-VI fuel standards since 1st April, 2018 in NCT of Delhi and from 1st April, 2020 in the rest of the country; notification of Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules; banning of burning of biomass; notifications regarding mandatory implementation of dust mitigation measures for construction and demolition activities; promotion of public transport network; streamlining the issuance of Pollution Under Control Certificate; issuance of directions under Section 18(1)(b) of Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and under Section 5 of Environment (Protection) Act, etc.
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