NEW DELHI: Twenty-one cities together with Higher Mumbai, Varanasi, Agra, Lucknow, Kanpur, Dehradun, Dhanbad, Trichy and Tuticorin have decreased the focus of vital air pollutant PM10 by greater than 40% in 2023-24 in comparison with 2017-18 ranges, based on the most recent compilation of information from 131 cities made by the setting ministry.
Although these 21 cities have met the goal of Nationwide Clear Air Programme (NCAP) two years upfront, most of them together with Higher Mumbai, Varanasi, Agra, Kanpur, Lucknow, Dehradun and others have nonetheless not met the appropriate restrict (nationwide requirements) of holding PM10 focus throughout the annual common ranges of 60 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m3).
For instance, Higher Mumbai decreased PM10 ranges by practically 42% (from 161 µg/m3 in 2017-18 to 94 µg/m3 in 2023-24) however metropolis continues to be in polluting class as a consequence of not assembly the nationwide ambient air high quality requirements (NAAQS). Then again, the discount of over 40% within the pollutant ranges put Trichy, Tuticorin (each in Tamil Nadu) and Kadapa (Andhra Pradesh) within the listing of 18 cities which meet these requirements of being clear cities.
Beneath NCAP launched in 2019, the ministry had deliberate to scale back PM10 ranges by 40% by 2025-26 from the baseline yr 2017-18. General, 95 out of 131 polluting cities have proven enchancment by lowering ranges of PM10 in various percentages the place 18 of them have, to date, reached the appropriate restrict of this vital air pollutant. PM10 (particulate issues that don’t exceed 10 micrograms in diameter) is sufficiently small to enter the lungs by means of respiratory inflicting critical well being hazards.
Knowledge on enchancment in air high quality in these cities was shared by the ministry at a operate to watch ‘Worldwide Day of Clear Air for Blue Skies’ in Jaipur on Sept 7 the place Union setting minister Bhupender Yadav awarded 9 cities in three completely different classes for higher implementation of various actions for mitigating air pollution beneath NCAP.
Surat, Jabalpur and Agra had been awarded for being the highest three cities within the million-plus inhabitants class, whereas Firozabad, Amravati and Jhansi obtained the award within the class of 3-10 lakh of inhabitants, and Raebareli, Nalgonda and Nalagarh within the class of lower than three lakh of inhabitants. Aside from Nalgonda in Telangana, none of those cities, nevertheless, figured within the listing of 18 which met the nationwide requirements for clear air. The cities had been awarded beneath the ‘Swachh Vayu Survekshan’ 2024 on the idea of various mitigation measures the place the weightage of enhancing PM10 ranges is merely 2.5% on this annual survey.
Excessive-polluting cities akin to Delhi, Ghaziabad, Noida, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Nasik and Kota too recorded enchancment when it comes to lowering PM10 to an extent, however the ranges of pollutant there are nonetheless fairly distant from the appropriate restrict. Delhi decreased the extent of PM10 from 241 µg/m3 in 2017-18 to 208 µg/m3 in 2023-24 (practically 14% decline) however the metropolis continues to be extremely polluting by recording pollutant ranges by greater than 3 times of the nationwide requirements.
Beneath NCAP, metropolis motion plans (CAPs) have been ready by all 131 ‘non-attainment’ cities and are being applied by city native our bodies. The non-attainment cities are these which didn’t conform to the NAAQS throughout 2011-15.
The Centre has earmarked practically Rs 20,000 crore for these cities throughout 2019-20 to 2025-26, out of which 49 million plus inhabitants cities are funded beneath the fifteenth Finance Fee air high quality grant and remaining 82 cities by the setting ministry. Up to now, over Rs 11,211 crore has been launched to those cities to implement CAPs.
Although these 21 cities have met the goal of Nationwide Clear Air Programme (NCAP) two years upfront, most of them together with Higher Mumbai, Varanasi, Agra, Kanpur, Lucknow, Dehradun and others have nonetheless not met the appropriate restrict (nationwide requirements) of holding PM10 focus throughout the annual common ranges of 60 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m3).
For instance, Higher Mumbai decreased PM10 ranges by practically 42% (from 161 µg/m3 in 2017-18 to 94 µg/m3 in 2023-24) however metropolis continues to be in polluting class as a consequence of not assembly the nationwide ambient air high quality requirements (NAAQS). Then again, the discount of over 40% within the pollutant ranges put Trichy, Tuticorin (each in Tamil Nadu) and Kadapa (Andhra Pradesh) within the listing of 18 cities which meet these requirements of being clear cities.
Beneath NCAP launched in 2019, the ministry had deliberate to scale back PM10 ranges by 40% by 2025-26 from the baseline yr 2017-18. General, 95 out of 131 polluting cities have proven enchancment by lowering ranges of PM10 in various percentages the place 18 of them have, to date, reached the appropriate restrict of this vital air pollutant. PM10 (particulate issues that don’t exceed 10 micrograms in diameter) is sufficiently small to enter the lungs by means of respiratory inflicting critical well being hazards.
Knowledge on enchancment in air high quality in these cities was shared by the ministry at a operate to watch ‘Worldwide Day of Clear Air for Blue Skies’ in Jaipur on Sept 7 the place Union setting minister Bhupender Yadav awarded 9 cities in three completely different classes for higher implementation of various actions for mitigating air pollution beneath NCAP.
Surat, Jabalpur and Agra had been awarded for being the highest three cities within the million-plus inhabitants class, whereas Firozabad, Amravati and Jhansi obtained the award within the class of 3-10 lakh of inhabitants, and Raebareli, Nalgonda and Nalagarh within the class of lower than three lakh of inhabitants. Aside from Nalgonda in Telangana, none of those cities, nevertheless, figured within the listing of 18 which met the nationwide requirements for clear air. The cities had been awarded beneath the ‘Swachh Vayu Survekshan’ 2024 on the idea of various mitigation measures the place the weightage of enhancing PM10 ranges is merely 2.5% on this annual survey.
Excessive-polluting cities akin to Delhi, Ghaziabad, Noida, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Nasik and Kota too recorded enchancment when it comes to lowering PM10 to an extent, however the ranges of pollutant there are nonetheless fairly distant from the appropriate restrict. Delhi decreased the extent of PM10 from 241 µg/m3 in 2017-18 to 208 µg/m3 in 2023-24 (practically 14% decline) however the metropolis continues to be extremely polluting by recording pollutant ranges by greater than 3 times of the nationwide requirements.
Beneath NCAP, metropolis motion plans (CAPs) have been ready by all 131 ‘non-attainment’ cities and are being applied by city native our bodies. The non-attainment cities are these which didn’t conform to the NAAQS throughout 2011-15.
The Centre has earmarked practically Rs 20,000 crore for these cities throughout 2019-20 to 2025-26, out of which 49 million plus inhabitants cities are funded beneath the fifteenth Finance Fee air high quality grant and remaining 82 cities by the setting ministry. Up to now, over Rs 11,211 crore has been launched to those cities to implement CAPs.
