Parliament Question: Green Peace India Report on Pollution

OIH GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 208 TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.07.2025 Green Peace India Report on Pollution 208. SHRI SATPAL BRAHAMCHARI SHRI JUGAL KISHOR: Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state: (a) whether 12 lakh people die every year due to excessive pollution in the country as per the Green Peace India Report; (b) if so, the details of the steps taken/being taken by the Government to curb Particular Matter (PM-10) pollution in the States of Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana, district- wise; (c) whether the Government is formulating any scheme to improve/ change the existing systems for pollution control; and (d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH) (a) to (d) : There is no conclusive data available to establish a direct correlation of death exclusively by air pollution. Air pollution is one of the many factors affecting respiratory ailments and associated diseases. Health is impacted by a number of factors which include food habits, occupational habits, socio-economic status, medical history, immunity, heredity, etc., of the individuals apart from the environment. National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) was launched by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in January 2019 with an aim to improve air quality in 130 cities (non- attainment cities and Million Plus Cities) in 24 States/UTs through implementation of National, State and City level clean air action plans. NCAP was launched in 2019 and is operational until FY 2025–26. Jammu and Srinagar cities in Jammu & Kashmir and Faridabad city in Haryana are covered under NCAP for improvement of air quality. In Haryana, 30 Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring System (CAAQMS) & 4 manual monitoring stations are operational whereas in Jammu andKashmir 1 CAAQMS & 44 manual stations are operational. All the cities of Haryana and Jammu & Kashmir under NCAP have shown reduction in PM10 levels in 2024-25 with respect to 2017- 18. The details have been provided at Annexure I. NCAP is multi-sectoral initiative involving the coordinated efforts of the Central and State Governments, Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), and other stakeholders. It emphasizes source-specific mitigation measures through city, state, and national-level clean air action plans. Out of 130 cities, 48 Million-Plus Cities/ Urban Agglomerations are funded under XVth Finance Commission Million Plus City Challenge Fund as an air quality performance grant, and remaining 82 cities are funded under Control of Pollution Scheme of MoEFCC. Performance linked grant of Rs. 13,036.52 crore has been provided to 130 cities for critical gap funding. Further, an amount of Rs. 151.97 crore has been released to cities of Jammu & Kashmir and Rs. 107.14 crore has been released to Faridabad, Haryana during FY 2019-20 to FY 2025-26 under National Clean Air Programme to implement air quality improvement measures. Steps taken for air quality improvement by Jammu & Kashmir and Delhi NCR including cities of Haryana is placed at Annexure II. Other key measures taken by the Central Government for air quality management has been provided at Annexure III. In addition, funds have been allocated by the Central Pollution Control board (CPCB) for 12 cities of Haryana (Dharuhera, Charkhi Dadri, Gurugram, Sonipat, Panipat, Bahadurgarh, Bhiwani, Jind, Narnaul, Karnal, Palwal and Nuh) which are not covered under NCAP. The details are provided at Annexure IV. The focused actions by 130 cities under NCAP have shown positive results with 103 cities showing reduction in PM10 concentration in 2024-25 with respect to 2017-18, 64 cities have shown reduction in PM10 levels by more than 20% with respect to base year 2017-18 and 25 of these cities have achieved a reduction of more than 40%. A total of 22 Cities have met NAAQS and have PM10 Concentrations less than 60 µg/m3. ***Annexure-I Improvement in PM10 concentrations of 130 Cities under NCAP in FY 2024-25 w.r.t. FY 2017-18 2017-2018 2024-25 % improvement Average Average in 2024-25 State Cities concentration concentration w.r.t. FY 2017- (F.Y.) of PM (F.Y.) of PM 10 10 18 (µg/m3) (µg/m3) Jammu & Srinagar 132* 76 42.4 Kashmir Jammu 157 124 21.0 Haryana Faridabad 229* 147 35.8 * PM levels in the FY 2017-18 for Faridabad and Srinagar are not available. PM levels of FY 10 10 2020-21 for Faridabad and PM levels of FY 2018-19 for Srinagar have been considered as a 10 baseline.Annexure-II Measures taken by Jammu & Kashmir in respect of air quality improvement: i. Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Committee (J&KPCCC) has advised the Govt. of J&K on matters concerning the prevention, control or abatement of Air Pollution. The Govt. is also advised w.r.t the suitability of any premises or location of industries which likely to cause Air Pollution. ii. Industries are regulated under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and they are required to install Air Pollution Control Devices, which is being monitored by J&KPCC. iii. Collaboration with institutes for scientific research relating to Air Pollution is being carried out. iv. J&KPCC and Forest Department has signed a MoU with Central University of Jammu for facilitating the establishment of Himalayan High Attitude Atmospheric and Climate Research Station in Patnitop. Measures taken in cities of Haryana covered under NCR in respect of air quality improvement: i. Directions prescribing measures for control of pollution from various sources such as implementation of RECD system/ dual fuel kits in DG sets, use of cleaner fuels in industries, shift to EV/ CNG/ BS VI diesel fuel in transport sector, implementation of dust control measures at C&D sites etc., have been issued by CAQM. ii. Directions have been issued by CAQM to Government of NCT of Delhi and State Governments of Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh for migration of public transport services, especially buses in NCR to cleaner modes. All state govt. bus services between Delhi and any city/town in the states of Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh to be operated only through EV /CNG/BS-VI diesel w.e.f. 01.11.2023. iii. CAQM has issued directions for co-firing of 5-10% biomass with coal in thermal power plants located within 300 kms of Delhi, and, in captive power plants of industrial units located in NCR. iv. Online Continuous Emission Monitoring System (OCEMS) in red category air polluting industries in Delhi-NCR have been installed. v. Industrial units in Delhi have shifted to PNG/cleaner fuels and, operational units in NCR have shifted to PNG/Biomass. vi. Directions have been issued for conversion of brick kilns to zig-zag technology in Delhi and NCR. vii. Ban on use of pet coke and furnace oil as fuel in NCR States was issued since October 24, 2017. viii. An approved fuel list is in force in Delhi-NCR w.e.f. 01.01.2023. Industries operating on only PNG or biomass are permitted in NCR, except for specific requirement of other fuels by specific industries owing to technical, technological and process requirements. ix. Stringent PM emission norms for biomass based boilers have been prescribed for compliance in NCR. x. Directions issued to DPCC and SPCBs in NCR to enforce installation of anti-smog guns and other dust control measures at C&D sites. xi. Directions issued for setting up of a “Dust Control and Management Cell” by road owning/ maintaining/ construction agencies for monitoring and effective implementation of dust control measures in the NCR.xii. Online monitoring mechanism (through web portal) has been introduced for monitoring compliance of dust mitigation measures for construction sites. xiii. 40 teams have been deputed by CPCB since December 2021, to assist CAQM, for conducting incognito inspections of air polluting industries, C&D sites, DG sets in Delhi- NCR to check implementation status of pollution control measures and compliance of other provisions of the Air (P&CP) Act, 1981.Annexure III Other key measures taken by the Central Government for air quality management i. Emission standards for more than 80 industries have been notified under Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986 ii. Leapfrogging to Bharat Stage-VI (BS-VI) fuel emissions norms from since 1st April, 2018 in NCT of Delhi and from 1st April 2020 for the rest of the country. iii. Vehicle Scrapping Policy, Rules for Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facilities and Automated Testing Station by MoRTH iv. Waste management rules for solid waste, plastic waste, hazardous waste, e-waste, battery waste, biomedical waste, 100% ash utilization by Thermal Power Plants v. Market-based Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations introduced for waste categories, viz. plastic packaging, e-waste, battery waste, waste tyres vi. 12 identified Single-Use Plastics (SUP) having high littering potential and low utility were banned from 1st July, 2022 vii. Mandate for utilization of minimum 5% of crop residue along with coal (pellets/brickettes) in thermal power plants in NCR and adjoining areas viii. Categorization of industrial areas as Critically and Severely Polluted Areas (CPAs/SPAs) based on Comprehensive Environment Pollution Index (CEPI).Annexure-IV Funds allocated to the cities of Haryana by Central Pollution Control Board S. No. City/Town Fund allocation (Rs. In crore) 1. Gurugram 34.9 2. Sonipat 9.8 3. Panipat 8.0 4. Bahadurgarh 5.8 5. Bhiwani 5.0 6. Jind 4.5 7. Narnaul 4.5 8. Karnal 5.6 9. Palwal 4.5 10. Nuh 4.5 11. Dharuhera 4.5 12. Charkhi Dadri 4.5 ***