New Delhi
In a report submitted to the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEF&CC) announced that 11 cities across India have completed Source Apportionment Studies (SAS) to analyze pollution sources and prioritize measures for controlling air pollution. The cities included are Patna, Delhi, Baddi, Dhanbad, Bhopal, Gwalior, Navi Mumbai, Mandi Gobindgarh, Ludhiana, Ghaziabad, and Lucknow.
The MOEF&CC stated that these cities have been assigned annual targets to reduce PM10 levels, aiming for a 40% decrease by 2025-26 or to meet National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). To support this, 19 cities under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) have formed various committees to oversee the monitoring and execution of action plans.
From 2019-20 to 2023-24, ₹1,701.54 crore was allocated under the NCAP, with ₹1,500.58 crore utilized by these cities. For the fiscal year 2024-25, ₹600.01 crore has been set aside to implement annual action plans to reduce air pollution. The report highlighted that 17 of the 19 cities have improved air quality since 2017-18.
The studies for Ghaziabad and Lucknow revealed that road dust contributes between 49.2% and 85.7% of PM10 levels, while the transport sector adds 7% and 6%, respectively. The report emphasized that tackling road dust also helps reduce PM2.5 levels, with additional significant sources including vehicle emissions, industrial activities, and biomass burning. Measures like BS-VI norms and the Swachh Bharat Mission are also aiding in lowering PM2.5 concentrations.
