GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION N0. 2428
TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.12.2015
Air pollution level in cities
2428. SHRIMATI VANDANA CHAVAN:
Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to
state:
(a) ) the current air pollution levels in the top ten polluted cities of the country;
(b) whether Government has taken steps to find out the reasons for the high levels of pollution
there and if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether there is an increase in the number of people suffering from respiratory and other
related diseases due to pollution in the cities and if so, the details thereof; and
(d) the details of steps taken by Government to curb air pollution in these cities and the country
as a whole?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND
CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)
(a)
The National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) comprise of 12 pollutants, out of
which, three pollutants namely PM10, SO2 and NO2 are monitored at 612 locations in 254 cities
/towns by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in association with various State Pollution
Control Boards (SPCBs) and Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) for UTs. The levels of SO2
(annual average) reported are within notified norms across the country. The levels of air
pollution in top ten polluted cities during 2014 are given in Annexure.
(b)
High levels of air pollution are due to road dust re-suspension, vehicular exhaust
emissions, air traffic, railways, construction activities, gensets, industrial emission including
from power plants, garbage burning, stubble burning, hot mix plants, brick kilns etc. Air
pollution also depends on prevailing meteorological conditions including wind direction, wind
speed, mixing height, temperature variation, etc.
(c)
No peer reviewed conclusive study report is available directly linking the increase in the
number of people suffering from respiratory and other related diseases due to pollution.
However, the air pollution is known to be one of the aggravating factors for many respiratory
ailments and cardiovascular diseases. Other factors are inhaling/ingestion of bacteria, virus,
mites, moulds, fungi, spores, pollen grains etc.
(d)
The action taken to minimize the impact of air pollution inter-alia include;
 Notification of National Ambient Air Quality Standards (2009), envisaging 12
pollutants;
 Formulation of regulations / statutes;
 Setting up of monitoring network for assessment of ambient air quality;
 Introduction of cleaner / alternate fuels like gaseous fuel (CNG, LPG), ethanol blend
etc. replacing petrol and diesel;
 Promotion of public transport network of metro, buses, e-rickshaws etc.;
 Promotion of cleaner production processes;
Taking note of the gravity of air pollution, the Government has taken some more
measures as listed below:
 Launching of Clean India Mission (Swatch Bharat Abhiyan) on 2nd October, 2014;
 Formulation of draft rules for handling and management of municipal wastes
including construction and demolition waste rules notified for comments of
stakeholders;
 National Air Quality index launched by the Prime Minister in April, 2015 starting
with 14 cities;
 Implementation of Bharat Stage IV norms in the 63 selected cities and
universalization of BS-IV by 2017;
 MoRTH on 27.11.2015 issued two Draft Notifications issued for advancing the
implementation time lines to 2019 for BS- V and 2021 for BS- VI for comments of
stakeholders;
 Banning of burning of leaves, biomass, municipal solid waste in Delhi;
 Levying environment compensation charge on goods vehicles entering Delhi;
 Regular co-ordination meetings being held at official and ministerial level with Delhi
and other State Governments within the National Capital Region (NCR) and Punjab;
 Short-term plan has been reviewed and long-term plans have been formulated by
states to mitigate pollution in NCR;
 Stringent industrial standards have been formulated and notified for
public/stakeholder’s comments; standards for sugar industry have been finalized;
 Government is giving high priority for public partnership in lane discipline, car
pooling, vehicle maintenance, pollution under control certification, action against
visibly polluting vehicles etc.;
 Out of 3386 major industries, 1782 industries have installed on-line continuous
(24x7) monitoring devices; others are in process of installing;
 New standards for thermal power plants have been issued for gazette notification;
 Directions under section 18(1) (b) of The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution)
Act, 1981 being issued to enforcing agencies; and
 Construction of peripheral eastern and western expressways around Delhi to divert
non-destined vehicles.
*******
ANNEXURE
ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (A) OF RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION N0. 2428 DUE FOR REPLY ON 21/12/2015 REGARDING
AIR POLLUTION LEVEL IN CITIES RAISED BY SHRIMATI VANDANA CHAVAN.
Based on analysis of ambient air quality data for million plus cities during 2014, top ten cities
w.r.t. PM10 and NO2 is given below:
Descending order of cities exceeding NAAQS
with respect to PM10 (annual average) during 2014
SL. No.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
City
Raipur
Allahabad
Ghaziabad
Delhi
Kanpur
Faridabad
Ranchi
Jodhpur
Amritsar
Agra
PM10 (µg/m3)
329
250
246
215
199
197
197
189
187
182
Descending order of cities exceeding NAAQS
with respect to NO2 (annual average) during 2014
SL. No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
City
Kalyan Dombivali
Delhi (DMC)
Thane
Meerut
Pune
Amritsar
Jaipur
Pimpri Chinchwad
Raipur
Navi Mumbai
NO2 (µg/m3)
77
61
60
48
45
42
41
41
41
40
Note: National Ambient Air Quality Standard (Annual average) for NO2 = 40 µg/m3 and PM10 = 60
µg/m3. All values are in microgram per meter cube (µg/m3) and annual average concentration
*****