Question : Particulate Matter

(a) whether according to the report of the Central Pollution Control Board, the quantity of PM 10 pollutants has reached upto 1292 microgram per cubic meter on 30 October 2016 as compared to the previous year whereas notified standards are 100 microgram per cubic meter and if so, the reaction of the Government thereto;
(b) whether the Government has made arrangements to measure and publish the pollution data for other cities across the country on the lines of Delhi, and if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government proposes to construct towers for replacing the polluted air with clean air as being done by China and if so, the details thereof;
(d) whether the Government proposes to increase the number of air monitoring stations operating in India from 39 to 1500 at par with China and if so, the details thereof; and
(e) the steps taken by the Government to check PM emission from power sector vehicles and biomas burning in coordination with the States?

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

(SHRI ANIL MADHAV DAVE)

(a) The Central Pollution Control Board has reported concentration of particulate matter less than 10 micron (PM10) as1297 µg/ m3 at one of the monitoring location in Delhi on 30.11.2016. The rise in air pollution, predominantly with respect to PM10, can be attributed to meteorological conditions like low temperature, poor wind speed and low mixing height, in addition to the major contributing factors like bursting of fire crackers, road dust, vehicular emissions, construction and demolition activities, gensets, industrial emissions, garbage burning, stubble burning, hot mix plants, brick kilns etc.

(b) Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in association with State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) / Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) monitors air quality across the country under National Air Quality Monitoring Programme (NAMP). The NAMP network presently comprises 638 manual operating monitoring stations located in 271 cities/towns in 29 states and 5 union territories apart from 53 Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS) in cities.

(c) No such proposal is under consideration of the Government.

(d) Expansion of existing monitoring network is an ongoing process.

(e) The Government has taken various steps to control the emission of particulate matter from power sector, vehicles and burning of biomass which, inter alia, include notification of National Ambient Air Quality Standards; notification of revised standards for thermal power plants; introduction of cleaner / alternate fuels like gaseous fuel (CNG, LPG etc.), ethanol blending; promotion of cleaner production processes; universalization of BS-IV by 2017; leapfrogging from BS-IV to BS-VI fuel standards by 1st April, 2020; comprehensive amendments to various Waste Management Rules and notification of Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules; banning of burning of leaves, biomass and municipal solid waste; 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, 1986; installation of on-line continuous (24x7) effluent / emission monitoring devices by major industries; and ban on bursting of sound emitting crackers between 10 PM to 6 AM etc.


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