“The Government has taken several steps to address air pollution which 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 by 1st April, 2020; notifications regarding ‘Mandatory Implementation of Dust Mitigation Measures for Construction and Demolition Activities for projects requiring EC’ and ‘Mandatory Implementation of Dust Mitigation Measures for all Construction and Demolition Activities’ ; notification of Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules; banning of burning of biomass; 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, 1986; installation of on-line continuous (24×7) monitoring devices by major industries; etc.
Further, two pilot projects namely “To demonstrate the effectiveness of air pollution mitigation by Pariyayantra filtration” to ManavRachna Innovation and Incubation Centre to install Pariyayantra filtration on the roof top of 30 buses and “Deployment and Evaluation of air purification units (for traffic junction pollution abatement) in Delhi” to National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) to install Wind Augmentation and Air Purifying Unit (WAYU) devices at 7 traffic intersections have been sanctioned to tackle dust pollution.
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The government has formulated National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) as a long-term time bound national level strategy to tackle the increasing air pollution problem across the country in comprehensive manner. The overall objective is to augment and evolve effective ambient air quality monitoring network across the country, besides ensuring comprehensive management plan for prevention, control and abatement of air pollution. The NCAP focuses on collaborative and participatory approach comprising all sources of pollution and coordination between relevant Central Ministries, State Governments, local bodies and other stakeholders.
Hundred (102) non-attainment cities have been selected for formulation and implementation of city specific action plan under NCAP. In addition, NCAP has many other components viz. Technical Assessment Cell, technology support, sharing of international best practices, awareness and capacity building, source apportionment studies, plantation drive, intensive inspection drive etc to support the time bound implementation of NCAP”.
(This information was given by Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Dr. Mahesh Sharma in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha Yesterday).
