Why in the News?

The review of air quality improvement action plans of 131 cities is likely to be held by the Government this month as part of the Centre’s 100-day agenda.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• About NCAP (Objectives, Key Features, Progress, Challenges, etc.)
• Govt to Review Clean air Action Plan of Cities

About National Clean Air Programme (NCAP):

• National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) is a comprehensive initiative launched by the Government of India to tackle the pressing issue of air pollution across the country.
• Initiated in January 2019 by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), NCAP aims to systematically reduce air pollution levels and improve air quality through a multi-pronged approach.
• Objectives:
  • The primary objective of NCAP is to achieve a 40% reduction in particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) concentrations by 2026, taking 2017 as the base year.
  • The program targets both short-term and long-term measures to mitigate air pollution across various sectors.
• Key Features:
  • City-Specific Plans:
    • NCAP focuses on 131 non-attainment cities identified by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), where air quality standards have consistently been exceeded.
    • Each city has developed customized action plans that address local sources of pollution, such as vehicular emissions, industrial discharges, dust from construction activities, and waste burning.
  • Monitoring and Enforcement:
    • Strengthening the existing air quality monitoring network with the addition of more monitoring stations and sensors to provide real-time data.
    • Enhancing enforcement of air quality regulations and ensuring strict compliance with emission norms.
  • Public Awareness and Participation:
    • Conducting awareness campaigns to educate citizens about the health impacts of air pollution and promoting community participation in pollution control activities.
    • Encouraging the adoption of cleaner technologies and practices by industries, businesses, and households.
  • Inter-Agency Coordination:
    • Facilitating coordination between various government departments, including transport, urban development, agriculture, and power, to implement integrated pollution control measures.
    • Establishing inter-ministerial task forces and committees to oversee the implementation and progress of the NCAP.
  • Technological and Financial Support:
    • Promoting the adoption of clean technologies through financial incentives and subsidies.
    • Allocating funds to states and municipalities to support the implementation of their respective action plans.
  • Research and Development:
    • Encouraging scientific research to develop innovative solutions for air pollution control.
    • Collaborating with academic institutions and research organizations to study the sources and health impacts of air pollution.
• PRANA ( Portal for Regulation of Air-pollution in Non-Attainment cities), is a portal for monitoring of implementation of NCAP.

Progress & Challenges of NCAP:

• Air Information Centers and Pollution Forecasting:
  • Goal: Establish air information centres at central and regional levels by 2020.
  • Status: Only the central PRANA portal by CPCB is functional.
  • Goal: Implement air pollution forecasting systems in non-attainment cities by 2022.
  • Status: Only Delhi has a functional system.
• Committee Setup and Utilization of Funds:
  • Committees: Proposed at various levels, but issues remain with functionality, transparency, and public information.
  • Fund Utilization:
    • Of ₹1,253 crore allocated to 82 non-attainment cities, only ₹498 crore (40%) was used.
    • Of ₹9,610 crore allocated to 49 million-plus cities, ₹5,909 crore (62%) was utilized, indicating significant underutilization.
  • Monitoring Stations:
    • Goal: Increase manual monitoring stations under NAMP from 703 to 1,500 by 2024.
    • Status: Only 931 manual stations operational, showing a critical shortfall.
  • Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS):
    • Goal: Establish 150 stations.
    • Status: 531 stations are operational, indicating very good progress.
  • Rural Monitoring Network:
    • Current: 26 manual stations.
    • Goal: Set up 100 stations by 2024.
    • Status: Full realization of this goal seems difficult.
  • Source Apportionment:
    • Only 44 out of 131 non-attainment cities conducted source apportionment studies.
  • Data Availability and Compliance:
    • Data Availability: 227 cities had over 75% data availability days in 2023, with 85 under NCAP and 142 not covered by NCAP.
    • PM10 Levels: 78 NCAP cities and 118 non-NCAP cities exceeded National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for PM10.

Govt to Review Clean air Action Plan of Cities:

• The review of air quality improvement action plans of 131 cities is likely to be held by the Government this month as part of the Centre’s 100-day agenda.
• The upcoming meeting will review the actions taken by city administrations in key areas like dust control, electric vehicle charging stations, public transport improvement, waste management, and urban greening.
• The Ministry's review aims to ensure quick utilization of funds, especially as the National Green Tribunal scrutinizes the NCAP for unused funds.
• Submissions to the tribunal revealed that many cities spent funds on non-essential projects such as football grounds, water fountains, and desludging machines.