Question : Rise in Pollution Levels

(a) whether the rising pollution levels in the country have become a matter of grave concern for the environment;
(b) if so, the details thereof during the last three years, State/UT-wise;
(c) whether the Government has assessed the damage caused by environment pollution in the country and if so, the details thereof;
(d) whether the Government has fixed responsibility in this regard and if so, the details thereof; and
(e) the action plan formulated and campaigns being devised/run by the Government to deal with the rising pollution levels in the country?

MINISTER FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)

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

STATEMENT REFEERED TO IN REPLY TO PARAS (a) TO (e) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 300 FOR 12.07.2019 REGARDING “RISE IN POLLUTION LEVELS” RAISED BY SHRI RAMESH CHANDER KAUSHIK AND SHRI HANUMAN BENIWAL

(a)&(b)The ambient air quality data for metropolitan cities / million plus urban agglomerations during 2016- 2018 is given in Annexure-I. Analysis of data revealed that SO2 levels were within the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) in all 50 cities during 2016-18. With respect to NO2, 17 cities showed an increasing trend, 16 cities showed a decreasing concentration, 16 cities showed a fluctuating trend and 1 city revealed steady concentration. With respect to PM10, 14 cities showed an increasing trend, 14 cities showed a decreasing concentration, 22 cities showed a fluctuating trend. With respect to PM2.5, trends are available for 17 cities and out of 17 cities, 08 cities showed an increasing trend, 04 cities showed a decreasing concentration, 05 cities showed a fluctuating trend.

Based on the water quality data for the year 2016-18, 351 Polluted River Stretches have been identified on 323 rivers. State-wise list of polluted river stretches is enclosed as Annexure II.

(c) to (e)The Central Government has taken a number of initiatives for prevention, control and abatement of air pollution. These include

Plans and Directions
• Comprehensive Action Plan (CAP) identifying timelines and implementing agency for actions identified for prevention, control and mitigation of air pollution in Delhi and NCR has been notified.

• National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) under the Central Sector “Control of Pollution” Scheme as a time bound national level strategy to tackle air pollution problem across the country in comprehensive manner has been launched.
• 102 non-attainment cities for formulation and implementation of city specific action plan under NCAP have been identified.
• Graded Response Action Plan for different levels of air pollution in Delhi and NCR has been notified.
• A comprehensive set of directions have been issued under section 18 (1) (b) of Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1986 for implementation of 42/31 measures to mitigate air pollution in major cities including Delhi and NCR cities comprising of control and mitigation measures related to vehicular emissions, re-suspension of road dust and other fugitive emissions, bio-mass/municipal solid waste burning, industrial pollution, construction and demolition activities, and other general steps.

Monitoring

• Setting up of monitoring network for assessment of ambient air quality.
• Notification of National Ambient Air Quality Standards.
• Launch of National Air Quality Index.
• Implementation of Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi in October, 2018 in association with Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES).

Transport

• Leapfrogging from BS-IV to BS-VI fuel standards since 1st April, 2018 in NCT of Delhi and from by 1st April, 2020 in the rest of the country.
• Introduction of cleaner / alternate fuels like gaseous fuel (CNG, LPG etc.), ethanol blending.
• Promotion of public transport and improvements in roads and building of more bridges to ease congestion on roads.
• Operationalisation of Eastern Peripheral Expressway & Western Peripheral Expressway to divert non-destined traffic from Delhi.
• Streamlining the issuance of Pollution Under Control Certificate.

Industry

• Badarpur thermal power plant has been closed from 15th October, 2018.
• All brick kilns have been shifted to zig-zag technology in Delhi and NCR.
• Installation of on-line continuous (24x7) monitoring devices all red category industries in Delhi and NCR.
• Revision of emission standards for industrial sectors from time to time.

Biomass and Solid Waste

• A new Central Sector Scheme on ‘Promotion of Agricultural Mechanization for in-situ management of Crop Residue in the States of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and NCT of Delhi’ for the period from 2018-19 and 2019-20 has been launched.
• Banning of burning of biomass.
• 3 Waste-to-Energy (W-t-E) plants are currently operational in Delhi with atotal capacity of 5100 Tonnes Per Day(TPD).
• Notifications of 6 waste management rules covering solid waste, plastic waste, e-waste, bio-medical waste, C&D waste and hazardous wastes issued in 2016.
Dust
• Notifications regarding dust mitigation measures for construction and demolition activities.
• Number of mechanized road sweeping machines has been increased significantly and presently 60 machines are deployed for cleaning of roads in Delhi.

Public Outreach

• Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change and Delhi Government launched Clean Air for Delhi Campaign from 10th – 23rd Feb 2018 and to check air polluting activities pre and post Diwali, a special campaign called “Clean Air Campaign” during November 01, 2018 to November 10, 2018.
• Ministry is promoting peoples participation and awareness building among citizens for environmental conservation through Green Goods Deeds that focus on promotion of cycling, saving water and electricity, growing trees, proper maintenance of vehicles, following of lane discipline and reducing congestion on roads by car pooling etc.

• Development of mechanism for redressal of public complaints regarding air pollution issues in Delhi and NCR (through ‘Sameer App’, ‘Emails’([email protected]) and ‘Social Media Networks’ (Facebook and Twitter) etc.

In addition to the above, various actions for enforcement against defaulting entities have been taken.

• CPCB issued direction under Section 5 of E (P) Act, 1986 dated 29.10.2018 to Uttar Pradesh and Haryana SPCBs and Delhi PCC to initiate criminal prosecution against agencies who fail to take corrective actions.

• Show-cause notice under section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 was issued for prosecution for effective management of construction and demolition (C&D) waste to North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) and South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) on 12.12.2018 and 10.12.2018 respectively. Subsequently, Environmental compensation of ? 1.00 crore was imposed on NMCD on 24.01.2019.

• Show-cause notices have been issued by CPCB for prosecution to Northern Railways and Delhi State Industrial & Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd. (DSIIDC) on 12.11.2018 and to Irrigation and Flood Control Department, Government of National Capital Territory, Delhi on 03.12.2018.

• Environmental compensation of ?1 crore have been imposed vide directions dated 12.12.2018 under section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 on oil companies- IOCL, HPCL and BPCL for non-compliance of directions regarding installation of stage I and Stage II vapor recovery system.

• Environmental compensation of ?1 crore has been imposed on Municipal bodies (New Delhi, South, East, North and Cantonment Board) of the city over open dumping/ burning of garbage and C&D waste vide directions dated January 16, 2019 under section 31 A of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.
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