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Ahmedabad Air action plan
The Ahmedabad AIR plan is part of a collaboration between Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (ahmedabadcity.gov.in/) and public health and policy experts such Indian Institute of Public health, Gandhinagar and NRDC (National Resources Defence Council) and Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology. The Ahmedabad AIR Plan is a health-based program designed to protect and increase awareness among residents on air pollution. With the Air Quality Index as the center point, the Ahmedabad AIR Plan focuses on health risk communication with immediate and longer-term actions to increase preparedness, information-sharing, and response coordination to reduce the health impacts of air pollution on vulnerable populations.
Air Action plan – Indore
The MPPCB prepared an action plan to curb the water, air and land pollution in Indore City. The Report includes the sources of air pollution and the emission controlling equipment which are installed in the industries of Indore. MPPCB has also proposed further short term and long term air action plan with cost estimation to reduce the levels of air pollution in the city.
Air Action Plan of Hyderabad
The Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board(APPCB) prepared plan Action Plan in consultation with all the stake holder departments viz., Transport, APPCB, Civil Supplies, State Oil Co-ordinator, etc. for lowering air pollution in HMDA area. The initiatives taken by APPCB focuses on the vehicles, fuel, infrastructure and traffic management.
Action plans for Critically Polluted areas in India
CPCB has prepared Air Action Plan for critically polluted clusters in Various States of the country. The reports include the ambient air quality data near these clusters and the air pollution abatement plans for these industrial Clusters
Air Pollution Acts and Rules in India
The Govt. of India enforced the Air Pollution And Prevention Act, 1981. The amendments were made in 1987 and the last being amended in 2009 which introduced various new pollutants into the Act of 1981.
Air Acts, Rules and Notifications
Air Quality Trends During Deepawali
The Central Pollution Control Board of India also provides the air pollution data of the Indian cities during the period of Deepawali which happens to be the most polluted time in India due to burning of crackers. The pollutants considered are NO2, SO2 and PM10. The air quality trends of Indian cities during Deepawali for the last 14 years can be downloaded from the following link.
Ban on Crop Burning in Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh
The National Green Tribunal, New Delhi has issued certain directions to improve the air quality of NCR Delhi by not burning the farm fire/residue crop by the farmers.
Despite a complete ban on crop residue burning by the National Green Tribunal (NGT), an enormous increase in the crop fires across Punjab, Haryana and Delhi has been revealed by NASA (click here to see images). This crop residue burning is mainly prevalent in Haryana.
Farmers claim that other agriculture equipment that can sow the seeds without removing the crop remains is expensive.
Bharat Stage VI emission standards in India
On February 19, 2016, the Indian Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) issued a draft notification of Bharat Stage (BS) VI emission standards for all major on-road vehicle categories in India.1 The standards apply to light- and heavy duty vehicles, as well as two- and three-wheeled vehicles. As proposed, the BS VI standards will go into effect for all vehicles in these categories manufactured on or after April 1, 2020. The draft BS VI proposal specifies mass emission standards, type approval requirements, and on-board diagnostic (OBD) system and durability levels for each vehicle category and sub-classes therein. In addition, reference and commercial fuel specifications are included in the BS VI proposal. The report includes the proposed standards for BS-VI emission standards.
The Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules
The Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change released the Bio-Medical Waste Management Rule in 2016. These rules changed the way the country used to manage this waste earlier.
The Bio-Medical Waste Management (Amendment) Rules
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in 2018 amended the Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules, 2016 to improve compliance and strengthen the implementation of environmentally sound management of biomedical waste in India. The amendment was undertaken after several rounds of stakeholder consultations, including the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Central Pollution Control Board, State Pollution Control Boards, and Health Care Facilities.
Comprehensive Action Plans for air pollution control
Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) has drafted a comprehensive action plan for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) in consultation with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) of the Delhi government. It includes the 42 action point directions given by the Central Pollution Control Board in 2015 for Delhi and NCR; the Delhi Decongestion Plan drawn up by the Ministry of Urban Development; the revised Delhi Master Plan of 2021, and other relevant government plans and policies. The overall objective is to present a pollution source-wise action plan to be implemented in a time-bound manner with adequate stringency, monitoring and compliance system to meet the clean air targets. This comprehensive plan identifies short-term priority action as well as those to be implemented in a medium to longer time frame. The new generation action is more complex in nature, but important for the desired stringency and effectiveness.
Construction & Demolition Waste Management Rules
In 2016 Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) released Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules. The basis of these Rules was to recover, recycle and reuse the waste generated through construction and demolition. These rules apply to everyone who generates construction and demolition waste.
E-Waste Management Rules
The Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change notified the E-Waste Management Rules in 2016. These rules apply to every manufacturer, producer, consumer, bulk consumer, collection centers, dealers, e-retailer, refurbisher, dismantler and recycler involved in manufacture, sale, transfer, purchase, collection, storage and processing of e-waste or electrical and electronic equipment.
E-Waste (Management) Amendment Rules
Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change amended the E-waste (Management) Rules in a move to facilitate and effectively implement the environmentally sound management of e-waste in India. The amendment in rules was done with the objective of channelizing the E-waste generated in the country towards authorized dismantlers and recyclers in order to formalize the e-waste recycling sector.
Graded Response Action Plan
The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has notified the Graded Response Action Plan to combat air pollution in NCR Delhi region. It defines the measures to be taken based on air quality on the basis of PM 2.5 and PM 10 in the atmosphere. Based on the air quality the grades have been classified as Emergency, Severe, Very Poor and Moderate poor. It will be enforced by the Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA).
Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules
Hazardous Waste Management Rules are notified to ensure safe handling, generation, processing, treatment, package, storage, transportation, use reprocessing, collection, conversion, and offering for sale, destruction, and disposal of Hazardous Waste. These Rules came into effect in the year 1989 and have been amended later in the years 2000, 2003 and 2008. The final one being released in 2016.
India’s Air Quality Index
The National Air Quality index was launched by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in 2014 which outlined the AQI as ‘ One Number-One Colour-One Description’ . There are six AQI categories, namely Good, Satisfactory, Moderately polluted, Poor, Very Poor, and Severe. The proposed AQI consider eight pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, NO2, SO2, CO, O3, NH3, and Pb) for which short-term (up to 24-hourly averaging period) National Ambient Air Quality Standards are prescribed. The Air Quality index of various cities is available on this webpage(AQI)
India’s attempt to Reduce Vehicular Pollution
The following report includes all the steps taken by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and Indian Government. to reduce vehicular pollution. The report shows the changes in emission standards for vehicles since 1996.
National Action Plan On Climate Change
The National Action Plan on climate change addresses the urgent and critical concerns of the country through a directional shift in the development pathway, including through the enhancement of the current and planned programmes presented in the technical document.
It identifies the measures that support our development objectives while also yielding co-benefits for addressing climate change effectively.
Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules
In 2018, The Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change notified the Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules. The amended Rules lay down that the phasing out of Multilayered Plastic (MLP) is now applicable to MLP, which are “non-recyclable, or non-energy recoverable, or with no alternate use.” The amended Rules also prescribed a central registration system for the registration of the producer/importer/brand owner. Read More
Real-Time Air Quality Data of Indian Cities
The Central Pollution Control Board of India provides the real time air quality data of various Indian Metro cities which is available online on its Website CPCB. It provides data of various pollutants such as nitrogen di-oxide, sulphur dioxide, ozone, benzene etc and also provides data for wind speed, humidity etc.
Solid Waste Management Rules
The Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) notified the Solid Waste Management Rules (SWM) in 2016. These rules replaced Municipal Solid Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules, 2000.