Whether the Government has put any mechanism in place to fix the accountabilities on the authorities concerned for the irregularities and illegalities committed by them and if so, the details thereof

OVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE

LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED

QUESTION NO:

3166

ANSWERED ON:

06.12.2019

Environment Pollution

Sanjay Seth

Will the Minister of

ENVIRONMENT, FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE

be pleased to state:-

(a) whether the Government has taken note that environmental pollution is on the rise in the country and if so, the details thereof; (b) whether the Government is aware that the callous attitude of authorities is one of the main reasons for the said spike in pollution levels and if so, the details thereof; (c) whether the Government has put any mechanism in place to fix the accountabilities on the authorities concerned for the irregularities and illegalities committed by them and if so, the details thereof; and (d) the steps taken by the Government to ensure the strict implementation of the rules in this regard specially in Jharkhand? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO) (a) & (b) Analysis of last five-year ambient air quality data (2014-2018) indicated that most of the cities were within the National Standards with respect to parameters of SO2 and NO2. With respect to PM10 and PM2.5, 18 and 12 cities respectively showed decreasing trend. In reference to Delhi, there has been an overall improvement in air quality of Delhi in 2019 as compared to that of 2016. The number of ‘Good to ‘Moderate’ days has increased to 175 in 2019 as compared to 108 in 2016. (c) CPCB and SPCBs are vested with powers under The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act and under the Environment (Protection) Act, , 1986 to issue directions for the closure, prohibition or regulation of any industry, operation or process; or stoppage or regulation of the supply of electricity or water or any other service, for protection of the environment (d) Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has launched National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) as a long-term, time-bound, national level strategy to tackle the air pollution problem caused by various sources which inter-alia includes vehicular emissions, industrial emission, dust, garbage dumping, burning of Municipal waste/industrial waste etc. across the country in a comprehensive manner. Under NCAP, 102 non-attainment cities including Dhanbad in Jharkhand have been identified based on ambient air quality data for the period 2011 – 2015 and WHO report 2014/2018. Out of 102 non-attainment cities identified under NCAP, for the cities with million plus population and PM10>90µg/m³, Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change is funding ?10 Crores in the current year for 28 such priority cities, including Dhanbad in Jharkhand, for various components that, inter-alia, include Installation and commissioning of CAAQMS, Creating green buffer zone along the roads, Mechanical street sweeper, Mobile Enforcement Unit, Public awareness and capacity building activities, Water sprinkler.