Question raised in Lok Sabha on Pollution Level, 15/03/2016
Question raised in Lok Sabha on Pollution Level, 15/03/2016. Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs)/Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) are monitoring ambient air quality across the country under National Air Quality Monitoring Programme (NAMP). Three air pollutants viz., Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) and Particulate Matter size equal to or less than 10 micron (PM10), are monitored at all the 612 operating monitoring stations located in 254 cities/towns in 29 states and 5 union territories across the country. Out of the 46 million plus cities, ambient air quality data collected during 2015 available for 41 cities indicate that the values of SO2 are within the NAAQS of 50 μg/m3 (annual standard). The value of NO2 in 9 cities (namely Delhi, Faridabad, Howrah, Kalyan Dombovali, Kolkata, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Pune, Navi Mumbai and Thane) exceeded the NAAQS of 40 μg/m3 (annual standard); while the value of PM10, in 38 cities do not comply with the NAAQS of 60 μg/m3 (annual standard). The PM10 value in 3 cities (namely Chennai, Coimbatore and Vishakhapatnam) complies with the National Standard of 60 μg/m3 (annual standard). The ambient air quality data along with percentage of rise/fall in the pollution level of the million plus cities including Delhi is annexed.