Delhi govt likely to devise its own pollution control plan
NEW DELHI: Based on the plans of EPCA, NGT and the Union government, the Delhi government is likely to formulate its own plan to combat air pollution. The officials of the government will discuss this plan in the meeting with the Central government as urged by the AAP led government on Wednesday.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) global air pollution database released in Geneva, India has 14 out of the 15 most polluted cities in the world in terms of PM 2.5 concentrations -- the worst being Kanpur with a PM 2.5 concentration of 173 micrograms per cubic metre, followed by Faridabad, Varanasi and Gaya. Other Indian cities that registered very high levels of PM2.5 pollutants are Delhi, Patna, Agra, Muzaffarpur, Srinagar, Gurgaon, Jaipur, Patiala and Jodhpur, followed by Ali Subah Al-salem in Kuwait and a few cities in China and Mongolia.
The Indian government has acknowledged air pollution as an issue that requires a comprehensive national action programme. It recently unveiled a draft National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) outlining plans to tackle pollution across the nation, including upgrading the air quality monitoring network. This is the first such action plan for all of India on an issue that has been constantly in the spotlight for its adverse impact on the health of citizens. With pressure from advocacy groups, global and national media and citizen groups, national-level action plan on air pollution was a long overdue.
Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) also has a different plan named as Graded Action Plan (GRAP). Recently, the NGT has also suggested a plan to tackle the pollution. Based on all these plans, the environment department of the Delhi government and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee are likely to work out a separate plan which they will follow throughout the year.
According to the WHO global air pollution database, India has 14 out of the 15 most polluted cities in the world in terms of PM 2.5 concentrations