Our Terms & Conditions | Our Privacy Policy
National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) was launched in January 2019 to address the increasing pollution. However, in the five years since its launch, NCAP is not exhibiting the desired effect. The allocations are more to cities which are less polluted. The target of the programme seems to be tackling road dust, and not other air pollutants which are currently wreaking havoc.
The NCAP, launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, aims to reduce PM2.5 and PM10 levels by 20-30 per cent by 2024, with the target now extended to 2025. PM refers to a mixture of solid and liquid particles suspended in the air, and a PM10 level exceeding 60 ug/m3 (micrograms per cubic meter of the air) indicates deteriorating air quality.
The NCAP has released ₹10,595 crore to different states from 2019 to 2024, targeting 131 cities. Of this, ₹6,922 crore (65.3 per cent) has been utilised. But in 114 cities, the five-year annual average of Particulate Matter 10 (PM10) still exceeds the safe limit of 60.
Misallocation?
Mumbai (₹938 crore), Kolkata (₹846 crore), and Hyderabad (₹551.05 crore) are the top three cities receiving the highest funds, with utilisation rates of 60.2 per cent, 79.6 per cent, and 73.8 per cent, respectively. Their five-year annual average PM10 levels stand at 104, 99, and 85 ug/m3.
In contrast, cities like Faridabad (₹73 crore), Ghaziabad (₹136 crore), and Delhi (₹42 crore) have made use of 38.9 per cent, 97.3 per cent, and 29.5 per cent of their allocated funds, respectively. Despite this, their PM10 levels are among the highest across 131 cities, with averages of 210, 204, and 200 ug/m3, indicating persistent challenges in curbing air pollution.
Only road dust
According to a report by the Centre for Science and Environment in May 2024, a substantial portion of the funds under the NCAP has been utilised in addressing road dust, accounting for 64 per cent. Around 14.51 per cent has been allocated to tackle biomass burning, 12.63 per cent to the vehicle sector, 6 per cent for capacity building, and a mere 0.61 per cent has been spent on the industrial sector. “Thus, road dust mitigation measures that include paving, road widening, pothole repair, water sprinkling, mechanical sweepers, etc. have taken the lion’s share of the funds for clean air action. Very little is being spent on industrial and vehicular pollution,” the report reads.
Gufran Beig, Chair-Professor at the National Institute of Advanced Studies, pointed out that there are strategic policy-level issues, such as changing crop types in the northern regions, that can help curb biomass pollution, as stubble burning contributes significantly to increasing biomass pollution in the region.
“There is a need for stringent monitoring mechanisms, policy regulations, and norms to control industrial pollution. Many unregistered small industries fail to comply with regulations, and large industries must also ensure adherence to these standards. This can only be achieved by having proper mechanisms in place,” Beig added.
SHARE
Published on November 26, 2024
Images are for reference only.Images and contents gathered automatic from google or 3rd party sources.All rights on the images and contents are with their legal original owners.
Aggregated From –
Comments are closed.