News Highlight
The Centre has revised the target of reducing air pollution (PM concentrations) in cities from 20–30% by 2024 to 40% by 2025–26.
Key Takeaway
- The revised target may prompt the states to achieve their ambition through city-based action plans under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP).
- The revised target aims to achieve acceptable limits of both PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations.
National Clean Air Programme (NCAP).
- It was launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in 2019.
- It is the first-ever effort in the country to frame a national framework for air quality management with a time-bound reduction target.
- It seeks to achieve a 20% to 30% reduction target in Particulate Matter (PM) concentrations by 2024, where 2017 is the base year for comparing concentrations.
- The plan includes 102 non-attainment cities across 23 states and the Union territories, identified by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) based on their ambient air quality data between 2011 and 2015.
- Non- Attainment Cities are the cities which do not meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards.
National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)
- The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act gives the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) the authority to set standards for the quality of the air.
- As a result, the CPCB announced the current National Ambient Air Quality Standards in November 2009.
- The pollutants that are covered under the National Ambient Air Quality Standards include
- Sulphur dioxide (SO2),
- Nitrogen dioxide (NO2),
- Particulate matter having a size less than 10 microns (PM10),
- Particulate matter having a size less than 2.5 microns (PM2.5),
- Ozone
- Lead
- Carbon monoxide (CO)
- Arsenic
- Nickel
- Benzene
- Ammonia
- Benzopyrene
Other Government Initiatives to Combat the air pollution
- The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981:
- It is an Act to provide for the prevention, control, and reduction of pollution, the establishing of boards (CPCB) to carry out the purposes above, the conferring and assigning of powers and functions to such Boards, and other issues related to that.
- The National Air Quality Index (AQI):
- Air Quality is measured using a metric called Air Quality Index (AQI). AQI will display the changes in pollution in the atmosphere.
- The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB):
- The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) of India is a government-run organisation in charge of air and water quality monitoring, as well as any other pollution-related issues.
- FAME Scheme:
- To promote electric vehicles that reduce the use of fossil fuel-powered vehicles.
- Bharat Stage Emission Standards (BSES):
- To keep air pollutants emitted by the internal combustion engine of vehicles under control.
- Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP):
- Graded Response Action Plan are a set of measures taken to reduce air pollution depending on the current level of pollution.
Content Source: Times of India