Download Poor air quality in Delhi

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION N0. 55
TO BE ANSWERED ON 25.04.2016
Poor air quality in Delhi
55. SHRI MOHD. ALI KHAN:
Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to
state:
(a) whether the Delhi's plans to combat poor air quality may soon see a redesign with a new
study done by IIT, Kanpur giving authorities insights into what really causes pollution;
and
(b) if so, the details thereof and the steps taken/being taken from study and results yielded,
so far?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST
AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)
(a) & (b) The Government of NCT of Delhi has formulated short term and long term action
plans to control air pollution in Delhi. After the ‘Comprehensive study on Air Pollution in
Delhi’ by IIT, Kanpur, Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has adopted a more
focused approach towards mitigation measures. On 29th December 2015, CPCB has issued
directions to DPCC under section 18 (1) (b) of Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act,
1981 which inter alia include immediate steps for (i) control of vehicular emissions, (ii)
control of road dust, (iii) control of air pollution from bio-mass burning, (iv) control of
Industrial air pollution and (v) control of air pollution from construction and demolition
activities. Several actionable points mentioned in the said directions directly emanated from
the study conducted by IIT Kanpur.
Some of the major steps taken / being taken by the Delhi Government to control air pollution
in Delhi inter-alia include:
 Prohibition on burning of garbage / leaves / plastic etc.
 Launching of Swachh Delhi App and DPCC Helpline with mobile number
9717593574 to receive the public complaints on air pollution.
 Opening of Facebook account in the name of DPCC to receive public complaints.
 Collection of horticulture waste (bio-mass) and composting-cum-gardening.
 Enforcement of Standard Operating Procedure for dust control at construction sites
and surprise inspections.
 Implementation of “odd-even” scheme.
 Increasing metro trips during odd-even scheme.
 Promotion for vacuum cleaning of roads.
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Promotion of Battery Operated Vehicles including grant of subsidy to battery
operated 4 wheelers and 2 wheelers and e-rickshaws.
Stricter implementation of PUC norms, Software for issuance of the PUC Certificates
in ‘Real Time’ and ‘on-line’ mode.
Commissioning of online monitoring system at Badarpur Thermal Power Plant and
Timarpur Okhla Waste to Energy Plant.
Enforcement of Lane discipline.
Issuance of 2,245 challans to auto rickshaws and 7293 to other violators.
Notification to restrict entry of Trucks and prohibition of non-destined vehicles.
Levy of Environmental Compensation Charge (ECC) on heavy duty commercial
vehicles.
Increasing green cover in Delhi.
The above mentioned steps have contributed in reducing air pollution in Delhi. But for
the various steps taken by Delhi Government and other agencies including CPCB and
DPCC, the air quality would have been worse.
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