Question : POLLUTION IN CITIES

(a) whether the Washington basedHealth Effects Institute has released country specific data on Global Burden of Diseases(GDB) which shows that India is virtually sitting on air pollution bomb with deaths related to the environmental hazard increasing six fold in the last decade and thus emerging as one of the biggest causesfor deaths in the year 2010;

(b) if so, the facts of the matter;

(c) whether the Government has been monitoring the air quality of cities with larger population;

(d) if so, the details there of along with the funds allocated and expenditure incurred thereon during the last three years,State-wise including Tamil Nadu;

(e) if not, the steps taken by the Government in this regard;

(f) whether thousands of persons are getting diseases and dying every year due to increasing pollution; and

(g) if so, the number of persons died in the country during the last three years particularly in Maharashtra along with the action taken/being taken by the Government to tackle this menace?

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS (SHRIMATI JAYANTHI NATARAJAN)

(a) & (b) Health Effects Institute, an USA based non-governmental organization, has published a report “Outdoor air pollution among top global health risks in 2010- risks especially high in India and other developing countries of Asia” which, inter alia, stated that outdoor air pollution contributed to over 620,000 premature deaths and nearly 18 million healthy years of life lost in India in 2010.

(c) to (e) Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) regularly monitors air pollution under the National Air Quality Monitoring Programme (NAMP) under which, three air pollutants viz., Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) and PM10 (Particulate Matter size equal to or less than 10 micron) have been identified for regular monitoring. The NAMP network presently comprises 542 operating monitoring stations located in 223 cities/towns across the country. CPCB has done the ambient air quality data analysis of 49 cities with large population. The list of these cities is at Annexure. As per this analysis, SO2 level is within the standard in 49 cities, NO2 level exceeds the standard in 8 cities (namely Delhi, Faridabad, Jamshedpur, Kolkata, Meerut, Pune, Asansol and Raipur) and PM10 level exceeds the standard in 42 cities, i.e. in all cities except for 7 cities (namely Kochi, Kollam, Kozikode, Madurai, Mallapuram, Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur). CPCB reimburses funds to all the State Pollution Control Boards for carrying out ambient air quality monitoring. During the last three years, CPCB has provided Rs. 87.13,750 lacs to Tamil Nadu State Pollution Control Board to carry out air quality monitoring at 13 locations covering 5 towns.

(f) & (g) According to some epidemiological studies, health effects such as manifestation of respiratory and cardiovascular aliments etc. could be associated with air pollution. No statistical data is available regarding the number of persons suffering and dying due to increasing level of pollution. Steps taken by the Government to control environmental pollution include formulation of a comprehensive policy for abatement of pollution, supply of improved auto-fuel, tightening of vehicular and industrial emission norms, mandatory environmental clearance for specified industries, management of municipal, hazardous & bio-medical wastes, promotion of cleaner technologies, strengthening the network of air and water quality monitoring stations, assessment of pollution load, source apportionment studies, preparation and implementation of action plans for major cities & critically polluted areas, public awareness etc.