Centre aims for 20% cut in air pollution by 2024

Centre aims for 20% cut in air pollution by 2024

News

The government has launched the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) aiming to reduce toxic particulate matter by 2024, taking 2017 as the base year.

Important Facts

1. The NCAP is a mid-term, five-year action plan that includes collaborative, multi-scale and cross-sectorial coordination between relevant Central ministries, state governments and local bodies.
2. Goal: To meet the prescribed annual average ambient air quality standards at all locations in the country in a stipulated time frame.
3. Objectives:

• To augment and evolve effective and proficient ambient air quality monitoring network across the country for ensuring comprehensive and reliable database
• To have efficient data dissemination and public outreach mechanism for timely measures for prevention and mitigation of air pollution and for inclusive public participation in both planning and implementation of the programmes and policies of government on air pollution
• To have feasible management plan for prevention, control and abatement of air pollution.

4. It is not a pan-India, but a city-specific programme. The Programme includes 102 non-attainment cities, across 23 states and Union territories, which were identified by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) on the basis of their ambient air quality data between 2011 and 2015.
5. The plan proposes a three-tier system, including real-time physical data collection, data archiving, and an action trigger system, besides extensive plantation plans, research on clean-technologies, landscaping of major arterial roads, and stringent industrial standards
6. It also proposes state-level plans of e-mobility in the two-wheeler sector, rapid augmentation of charging infrastructure, stringent implementation of BS-VI norms, boosting public transportation system, and adoption of third-party audits for polluting industries.

Note: Non-attainment cities are those which have been consistently showing poorer air quality than the National Ambient Air Quality Standards. Example: Delhi, Varanasi, Bhopal, Kolkata, Noida, Muzaffarpur, Mumbai.