5.0 NATIONAL RESPONSE TO AIR POLLUTION PROBLEM Over the years, pollution abatement has become an important constituent of national priorities. The are reflected in policy decision, legislative framework and specific programmes. The important measures related to air pollution include the following :

- The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981;

- The Environment ( Protection) Act, 1986;

- The National Policy Statement on Abatement of Pollution (1992); and - The Environment Action Programme (1993).

The objective of the Air Act, 1981 is to prevent, control and reduce the air pollution including noise pollution and to establish Pollution Control Boards at the state level for this purpose. Under the provisions of this Act, no person shall establish or operate any industrial plant without the consent of the State Pollution Control Boards or Pollution Control Committees.

The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 sets out the parameters under which the Ministry of Environment and Forests operates to formulate environmental policies at the national level. This Act is an umbrella legislation providing a single focus in the country for the protection of environment and seeks to plug loop holes in the earlier legislation relating to environment. Several sets of rules relating to long aspects of management of hazardous chemicals, waste etc. have been identified under the Act. One of the important points in the Act is that the industry that requires consent under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, Air Act (Prevention and Control of Pollution), 1981, or both, or on authorisation under the Hazardous wastes (Management and Handling) Rules are required to submit an environmental audit report of the state concerned State Board/Committees every year.

The Policy Statement on Abatement of Pollution, 1992 states the government’s commitment to prevent further deterioration of the environment. The policy seeks to shift the emphasis from defining the objective for each problem area towards actual implementation with long term focus. To achieve the objectives, it is intended to make maximum use of mix of instrument including legislation and regularisation fiscal incentive, voluntary agreement, education programme and information campaign. The directions and objectives as envisaged in the pollution statement are presented below:
  • A comprehensive approach is taken to integrate environmental and economic aspects in development planning; stress is laid on preventive aspects for pollution abatement and promotion o technological inputs to reduce industrial pollutants; and through reliance upon public cooperation in securing a clean environment to respond to the coming challenges.

    •  
  • The objective is to integrate environmental considerations into decision making at all levels. To achieve this, steps have to be taken to:
      •  
    . prevent pollution at source;
    . encourage, develop and apply the best available practicable technical solutions;

    . ensure that the polluter pays for the pollution and control arrangements;

    . focus protection on heavily polluted areas and river stretches; and
    . involve the public in decision.


    The Environment Action Programme aims to improve environmental services in India and to facilitate the integration of environmental consideration into development programmes. The programme focuses on priority areas which include control of industrial and related pollution with accent on reduction and/or management of waste, improving access to clean technology and tackling urban environmental issues. The steps taken by the Pollution Control Board to minimise the possible adverse effects on the environment and quality of life, these include :
     

    - Notification of ambient air quality standards (1982, 1994)

    - Published reports related to Air Pollution Control and disseminated information to various organisations.

    - Epidemiological studies sponsored to ascertain health effects of air pollution.

    - Notified rules regarding use of washed coal for Thermal Power Plants.
      - Prepared emission standards for 35 categories of Air Polluting Industries.

      - Initiated human exposure study of Air Pollution.

      - Guidelines for Ship Breaking Industries have been finalised.

      - Prepared the guidelines for Hospital Waste Management.

         - Significant success achieved in Pollution Control from following categories of industries:
     
      . Integrated Iron and Steel Plants.

    . Cement Plants

    . Copper/Lead/Zinc Smelter

    . Thermal Power Plants

    . Aluminium Industries
      - Pollution prevention technologies have been developed for following: . Stone Crusher

    . Lime Klin

    . Ferrous foundry industry

    . Secondary rerolling industry – Reverberatory furnace

    . Optimisation of combustion efficiency of 2T – boiler

    . Description of NOx Control Technology

    . Management of Spent pot lining from Aluminium Industry

    . Bagasse Fired Boiler

    . Brick Kiln
      - Guidelines for Green Belt have been developed

    - Standards for Noise Pollution Control developed for following :

    . Ambient Noise Standard

    . Noise Standard for DG Set including design of acoustic enclosure

    . Noise Standard for vehicles

    . Noise Standard for Public Address System

         - Laid down Stack height guidelines for industries.

    - Prescribed Guidelines for fly ash management from Thermal Power Plants.

    - Suggested Clean Technology options for:
     

    . Promoting FBC/PFBC/CFBC technology for power generation

    . Clean Coke Making Technology for Integrated Steel Plant
      - Developed the Guidelines for Coal Mining and Coal Washery. With the exponential increase in the number of motor vehicles, vehicular exhaust has become a major source of air pollution in urban centres. For containing vehicular pollution, the Government has taken some important initiatives in recent years. These relate to progressive tightening of auto emission norms (1991, 1996, 1998 and 2000) and fuel quality specifications (1996) as recommended by the Central Board. Central Board has also drawn up a series of action points (1995) and strategy for vehicular pollution control (1997) with estimate of possible reduction in pollution load through the individual and combination of various measures including phasing out of grossly polluting old vehicles. The action taken/proposed for control of vehicular pollution's in the country and specially in Delhi are detailed below:
              Gasoline Lead Phase Out Programme in India
     
     
    Phase - I June, 1994 Low leaded (0.15 g/l) Cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta and Chennai
    Phase – II 01.04.1995 Unleaded (0.013 g/l)

    (+ low leaded)

    		 Cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta and Chennai
    Phase – III 01.01.1997 Low leaded (0.15 g/l) Entire Country
    Phase – IV 01.09.1998 Ban of Leaded fuel (only unleaded fuel) NCT Delhi
    Phase – V 31.12.1998 (Advance to 01.09.1998) Unleaded (0.013 g/l)

    (+ low leaded)

    		 All other capitals of States/UTs and other major cities
    Phase – VI 01.01.1998 Unleaded only 

    (0.013 g/l)

    		 NCR
    Phase – VII 01.04.2000 Unleaded (0.013 g/l)

    (+ low leaded)

    		 Entire Country

    SOURCE: CPCB Parivesh New letter June, '99 Vol 6(1)

    Diesel Sulphur Phase Out Programme in India
     
     
    Phase – I April, 1996 Low Sulphur (0.5%) Four metros and Taj Trapezium 
    Phase – II August, 1997 Low Sulphur (0.25%) Delhi and Taj Trapezium
    Phase – III April, 1998 Low Sulphur (0.25%) Metro cities
    Phase - IV April, 1999 Low Sulphur (0.25%)  

    SOURCE: CPCB Parivesh New letter June, '99 Vol 6(1)

    During 1990-91 for the first time mass emission norms for vehicular at manufacturing stage as well as for in use vehicles have been notified. The emission norms alongwith fuel quality specifications laid down in 1996 required the automobile manufacturers to make modifications in the engine design particularly in regard to crank case emissions and evaporative emission control. From April, 1995 in the metro cities new passenger cars were allowed to register only if these were fitted with catalytic converter. With the recent direction of Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, passenger cars both petrol and diesel are required to meet at lest Euro-I norms by June, 1999 and Euro-2 norms by April, 2000 in the National Capital Region -Delhi.
              2-T Oil for 2-Stroke Engine The specifications for 2T oil which became effective from April 1, 1999 required use of low smoke 2T oil which is one of the causes of pollution from 2 stroke engine. To prevent the use of 2T oil in excess of the required quantity, sale of loose 2T oil has been banned in Delhi from December, 1998 and premixed 2T oil dispensers have been installed in all the petrol filling stations.
              Phasing out of grossly polluting vehicles To begin with 20 years old vehicles were prohibited from plying from December, 1998 followed by phasing out of 17 years old vehicles from November, 1998 and 15 years old vehicles from December, 1998 in Delhi. Impacts on Pollution Load in Air Quality The steps taken so far had some impact on vehicular pollution load and air quality. Major impacts have been observed in Delhi through implementation of emission norms and fuel quality specifications effective from 1996, as also phasing out of 15 year old commercial vehicles and leaded petrol in the year, 1998. Due to increase in growth of vehicles, the vehicular pollution load has increased from 1990-91 to 1995-96 (Table 5.1). With the implementation of emission norms and fuel quality specifications, phasing out of 15 year old vehicles and leaded gasoline the pollution load has decreased in 1998-99. The ambient air quality monitored in different areas of Delhi also shows a similar trend (Table 5.2). As compared to 1995, the levels of pollutants in the ambient air of Delhi has decreased by 4-40 percent in case of Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), 4-13 percent in case of Nitrogen Dioxide (SO2), 6-17 percent in case of Particulate Matter (PM), 3 percent in case of Carbon Monoxide (CO) and 11-60 percent incase of lead (Pb) during 1998. Table 5.1 : Estimated Vehicular Pollution Load in Delhi
     
     
    Pollutants
    Pollution Load in thousand tons
    		 % reduction as compared to 1995-96
    Without measures
    With measures
    1990-91 1995-96 1998-99 1995-96 1998-99
    Carbon Monoxide (CO)
    243
    373
    451
    351
    337
    4
    Hydrocarbons (HC)
    82
    123
    148
    113
    115
    2
    Nitrogen Oxides (NOx)
    139
    208
    248
    207
    182
    12
    Sulphur Dioxide (SO2)
    10
    15
    17
    15
    11
    27
    Lead (Pb)
    0.190
    0.259
    0.362
    0.259
    0.007
    97
    Particulate Matter (PM)
    19
    28
    33
    28
    21
    25
    Total Pollution Load
    394
    747
    897
    714
    666
    		  
    Emission Load in Tons/day
    1351
    2047
    2459
    1957
    1825
    		  

    SOURCE: CPCB New letter Parivesh, June, '99 Vol 6(1)

    Table 5.2 : Ambient Air Quality in Delhi
     
    1995
    1998
    		 % reduction as compared to 1995
    INDUSTRIAL AREA

    Sulphur Dioxide (SO2)

    Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)

    Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM)

    Lead (Pb)

    		      
    24.1
    20.2
    16
    35.5
    34.7
    4
    420
    367
    13
    110
    105
    5
    RESIDENTIAL AREA

    Sulphur Dioxide (SO2)

    Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)

    Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM)

    Lead (Pb)

    		      
    16.5
    15.8
    4
    32.5
    28.6
    13
    409
    341
    17
    155
    95
    39
    TRAFFIC INTERSECTIONS

    Sulphur Dioxide (SO2)

    Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)

    Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM)

    Lead (Pb)

    Carbon Monoxide (CO)

    		      
    42
    25
    40
    66
    63
    5
    452
    426
    6
    335
    136
    60
    5587
    5450
    3

    Source:

    CPCB News Letter Parivesh, June '99 Vol.6(1)