17 Apr

Pollution – Air (Institutions, Initiatives, Schemes, Programs)

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Content

• Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)
• Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981
• Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) [1998 – 2020]
• The Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas
• Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP)
• National Clean air Program
• Bharat Stage Emission Standards (BS Norms)
• Petrol Vs Diesel Comparison
• Natural Gas

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1) CENTRAL POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD (CPCB) – ACT, 1974

India’s Central Pollution Control Board sets national ambient air quality standards and is responsible for both testing air quality and assisting governments in planning to meet such standards.

2) AIR (PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF POLLUTION) – ACT, 1981

Provides for the prevention, control and abatement of air pollution through boards established under this Act like Central Pollution Control Board.

3) ENVIRONMENT POLLUTION (PREVENTION AND CONTROL) AUTHORITY (EPCA) [1998 – 2020]

• About EPCA
  • EPCA was a Supreme Court mandated body tasked with taking various measures to tackle air pollution in National Capital Region (NCR).
  • MoEF&CC notified this body in 1998 under the EPA, 1986.
  • Mandate
    • Protect and improve the quality of environment and prevent and control environmental pollution in the NCR.
    • It is also mandated to implement the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in NCR as per the pollution level.
  • The Authority can take complaints suo motu or on the basis of a filed complaint.

• Key contributions of EPCA in 22 years of its existence
  • Notification of Graded Response Action Plan
  • Early adoption of BS-VI fuels standards
  • Suggestions for Construction of the regional rapid transport system
• Note: The 22-year-old Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) has been dissolved. (Oct 2020)

4) THE COMMISSION FOR AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT IN NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION AND ADJOINING AREAS

• Need
  • A major reason behind high pollution levels in NCR has been the inability of CPCB, EPCA etc. to impose rules on the ground.
  • The new permanent Commission envisages a multi-sectoral, participatory, multi-state dynamic body with a statutory status.
• Details
  • The commission has been set up to monitor and check air pollution levels in the NCR and adjoining region.
    • It supersedes all existing bodies. The commission shall have exclusive jurisdiction in respect of matters covered by the law.
    • Powers of CPCB/SPCB continue: The CPCB and its state branches have the power to implement provisions of the Environment Protection Act for air, water and land pollution.
      • However, in case of dispute or clash of jurisdictions, the Commission’s writ will prevail specific to matters concerning air pollution.
  • The commission will look at:
    • Coordination between states
    • Planning and execution of policy and interventions
    • Operations of industry
    • Inspections
    • Research into the cause of pollution etc.
  • The powers to levy fines – ranging up to Rs 1 crore or five years of prison also lies with the commission.
  • The commission will be empowered to constitute special investigative groups for stricter implementation of air pollution norms on the ground.
  • Structure
    • There will be at least six permanent members and it will be headed by a former or incumbent secretary to the GoI, or chief secretary to a state government.
    • Overall, there would be 18 members which would include five ex-officio members representing the five states; technical members from CPCB and ISRO; three representatives from NGOs with experience in combating air pollution; one representative from NITI Aayog.
  • NGT: Only the NGT, and not civil courts, is authorized to hear cases where the commission is involved.
  • Area covered: Delhi, Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh
• How is it different from EPCA?
  • EPCA was a Supreme Court mandated body, whereas the commission will be a statutory body.
  • Area coverage: EPCA – NCR, Commission -> NCR and adjoining areas.
    • The pollution in Delhi is also caused by adjoining areas and therefore it has been given powers accordingly.
  • State representation was absent in EPCA but is present in the commission.
    • The new 18-member commission brings together the Centre, states, and other stakeholders on one collaborative platform.
  • Improved coordination: the body has the mandate/powers to coordinate among states, which was absent in case of EPCA.

5) GRADED RESPONSE ACTION PLAN (GRAP)

• GRAP is the Delhi’s five-step escalating plan to counter air pollution.
  • It was formulated in 2016 by Environmental Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) and approved by SC in the same year.
• MoEF&CC had notified GRAP for Delhi and NCR in 2017 and it draws its authority from this notification.
  • It institutionalized measures to be taken when air quality deteriorates.
  • The plan is incremental in nature. The nature scope and rigor of measures to be taken is linked to levels of pollution viz. Severe+ or Emergency, Severe, Very Poor, Moderate to Poor and Moderate.
  • Note: GRAP works only as an emergency measure and doesn’t include actions by various state governments to be taken throughout the year to tackle industrial, vehicular and combustion emission.
  • Various directives of GRAP kick in based on the recommendations of a committee of experts;
• Note:
  • Since the formation of “the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas”, it is the designated agency for the implementation of the plan.
• Significance
  • GRAP has been successful in doing two things that had not been done before:
    • Creating a step-by-step for the entire Delhi-NCR region.
    • Getting on board several agencies: All pollution control boards, industrial area authorities, municipal corporations etc.
    • Fixed accountability and deadlines. For each action to be taken under a particular air quality category, executing agencies are clearly marked. In a city like Delhi which has multiplicity of authority, this has had a crucial difference.
    • EPCA along with GRAP has contributed in three major policy decisions:
      • Closure of thermal power plant at Badarpur, brining BS-VI fuel to Delhi before the deadline set initially, and the ban on Pet Coke as a fuel in Delhi-NCR.
• Limitations of GRAP
  • Focus on Delhi – other states have managed to delay several measures, citing lack of resources;
• How was GRAP implementation different in 2022:
  • On 5th Aug 2022, the CAQM issued statutory direction, for the implementation of revised schedule of the GRAP.
  • Key Changes in the revised action plan:
    1. Restriction on polluting activities will be dependent on Air Quality Index (AQI) rather than PM2.5 and PM10 concentration.
    2. Measures could be taken up to three days in advance based on forecasts, the revised plan states.
       • Earlier, measures were implemented only after the 5 and PM10 concentrations (micrograms per cubic meter) reached a certain threshold.
  • The GRAP for Delhi-NCR is divided into four As per the plan, actions under stages 2-4 are invoked at least three days in advance of the AQI reaching the projected levels.

Stage	Key steps in each stage:
Stage-1: "Poor" AQI: 201-300	Ban on construction and demolition activities at specific sites. Agencies must ensure that all solid waste is lifted from dedicated dump sites, and none is dumped on the open land. Heavy fines are to be imposed for openly burning municipal solid waste and biomass. Roads will be mechanically cleaned, and water will be sprinkled from time to time. Authorities will ensure that thermal power plants comply with emission norms and that industries use approved fuel. The ban on firecrackers should be followed as per the directions of respective courts. Social Media is to be used to update people about pollution levels and control room contact details so that violations can be reported to the authorities.
Stage-2: Very Poor AQI: 301-400	Daily Mechanized sweeping of roads; Water sprinkling with dust suppressants at least on alternate days; Use of Coal and firewood in eateries would be banned. Use of Diesel Generators might be allowed only in certain cases. Parking fees may be raised to discourage private transport. Resident Welfare Associations would be required to provide electric heaters to security staff during winter to prevent the burning of solid waste or biomass.
Stage-3: Severe AQI: 401-450	The frequency of cleaning roads intensifies in this stage. Water would be sprinkled daily before traffic hours. Strict ban on all construction activities except ongoing work on roadways, railways, metro, hospital etc. Authorities will levy different rates on public transport services to encourage off-peak travels. The state government will be empowered to impose restrictions on BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel light motor vehicles (4-wheelers)
Stage-4: Severe Plus AQI > 450	Entry of all trucks except those carrying essential commodities, or providing essential services is to be stopped into Delhi. This will be followed by a ban on plying of diesel-operated medium goods and heavy goods vehicles in Delhi, except those carrying essential items. All construction and demolition activities would have to be stopped. The respective government could meanwhile, take a call on allowing public, municipal and private offices to work at 50% strength. If required, the Centre can allow work from home for central government employees. Additional emergency measures like closing schools and other educational institutes, non-emergency commercial activities and plying of vehicles on an odd-even basis may also be enforced.

• Revised GRAP to deal with adverse air quality scenario (Nov 2022)
  • In a move to mitigate dust arising out of C&D activities sites and intensify actions to further ameliorate the overall air quality of the NCR, the CAQM has mandated all C&D projects in NCR to deploy adequate number of anti-smog guns, in proportion of the total area of construction for the project.
    • Different number of guns have been recommended based on different size of the project. (1-> 5,000 – 10000 sqm; 2 for 10001-15,000 sqm; 3 for 15,001 – 20,000 sqm; 4 for 20,000 sqm)
• Role of Citizens:
  • GRAP also includes a graded advisory for public:
    • Under Stage-1, the measures include properly tuning the engines of their vehicles, ensuring accurate air pressure in tyres, and updating PUC (pollution under control) certificates. Turn off engines at red lights; don’t dispose of waste or garbage in open space. Report air pollution activities through apps 311, Green Delhi, SAMEER”
    • For Stages-2, 3 and 4, the commission advises the public to opt for public transport, or work from home if required.
    • Under stage-4: the elderly and those with respiratory, cardiovascular, cerebrovascular or other chronic diseases are advised to avoid outdoor activities and stay indoors once stage-4 is implemented.

6) NATIONAL CLEAN AIR PROGRAM

• It is a pollution control initiative that was launched by the Ministry of Environment in Jan 2019 with the intention to cut the concentration of coarse particulate matter(PM10) and fine particles or 5 by at least 20% (20-30%)in the next five years (i.e. by 2024), with 2017 as the base year for comparison.
• It is a long term time bound national level strategy to tackle air pollution across Indian in a comprehensive manner.
• Which are the cities covered?
  • 132 Non-attainment Cities identified on the basis of Ambient Air Quality Data for the period 2011-2015 and WHO report 2014/18.
• Objectives
  • Ensure implementation of prevention, control and abatement measures for air pollution
  • Improve the monitoring network.
  • Enhance public awareness regarding air pollution and capacity building measures.
• Who all are participating?
  • Apart from experts from industry and academia, various ministries like Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Ministry of Heavy Industries, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Health, NITI Aayog, and CBCB are participating.
• Key Steps being Taken
  1. Pollution Reduction measures
  2. Enhancing R&D and Data collection
  3. Strengthening various pollution related institutions
  4. Increased focus on awareness generation and people’s participation.

 7) BHARAT STAGE EMISSION STANDARDS (BS NORMS)

• Intro:
  • Bharat stage emission standards (first introduced in 2000) have been instituted by the GoI to regulate the output of certain air pollutant (NOx, CO, HC, PM, SOx) by vehicles and other equipment using internal combustion engine. As stage goes up, the control on emissions become stricter.
  • The standards and timeline for implementation are set up by the Central Pollution Control Board under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
• Dates of Application
  • BS-4: BS-IV norms are applicable throughout the country from 1st April 2017.
  • BS-V: GoI has decided to skip the standards and directly move to BS-VI standards by 2020.
  • BS-VI: Introduced in Delhi from 1st of April 2018, it is applicable throughout the country from April 2020 for all vehicles.
• Differences in BS-IV and BS-VI standards
  • The main difference between BS-IV and BS-VI norms is the amount of Sulphur in the fuel.
    • Reduction in Sulphur will make it possible to equip vehicles with better catalytic converters that capture pollutants.
  • Similarly, NOx emission from diesel is expected to come down by 70% and by 25% in petrol vehicles. Further, the restrictions on PM has been increased in both diesel and petrol vehicles.
  • There are also lower limit for HC and NOx in diesel engine.

	g/km	g/km	g/km	g/km	g/km	Sulphur
Petrol Emission Norms	CO	HC	NOx	HC + NOx	PM
BS-III	2.3	0.2	0.15	---	--
BS-IV	1.00	0.1	0.08	---	--	50 ppm
BS-VI	1.00	0.1	0.06	---	0.005	10 ppm (10 mg/kg)
Diesel Emission Norms	CO	HC	NOx	HC + NOx	PM
BS-III	0.64	--	0.50	0.56	0.05
BS-IV	0.50		0.25	0.30	0.025	50 ppm
BS-VI	0.50	--	0.06	0.17	0.005	10 ppm

• Other Key Changes being brought:
  • Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) and Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) are being introduced with the roll-out of Bharat Stage VI norms, which were not a part of Bharat Stage IV.
  • Real Driving Emissions (RDE) will be introduced in India for the first time with the implementation of Bharat Stage VI emission norms. It will measure a vehicle’s emission in real- time conditions against laboratory conditions.
  • Onboard diagnostics has been made mandatory for all
  • BS VI would require usage of Fuel Injection Technology for two This will the first such norm in India. This will filter out some PMs, some NOx etc.

 8) PETROL VS DIESEL COMPARISON

• Conversion to CNG
  • Converting petrol car to CNG only costs around 30,000 rupees, whereas in case of diesel car it costs around 1,50,000 rupees, as it requires fundamental changes in the engine of the car and is an expensive time-consuming process.
• Is Diesel worse than petrol?
  • More SPMs: A diesel car emits 22 times more Suspended Particulate Matters (SPM) – the tiny particles which easily penetrate your lungs, hearts and even brains.
  • More Nitrogen di oxide: Diesel emits four times more nitrogen di oxide.
  • Less CO2 and better fuel economy: However, a diesel car emits 15% less CO2 than petrol and since it is more efficient fuel (it burns more than petrol), it also gives a higher fuel economy.

9) NATURAL GAS

• Natural gas is a fossil fuel containing different organic compounds. It primarily consists of methane. Some other compounds in it includes ethane, propane It is a colorless, tasteless and odorless gas.
• How is natural gas formed?
  • It is a fossil fuel which is formed due to extreme pressure and heat for millions of years on remains of plants and animals buried under the surface of the earth.

• Advantages of Natural Gas
  • Environmentally more clean than other fossil fuels: It releases very less byproducts into the atmosphere as pollutants.
  • Economical – it is cheaper than other fossil fuels.
  • Safer to use: Unlike LPG cylinders which has the risk of leakage and accident, natural gas is lighter than air. In case of leakage, it dissipates quickly into air avoiding fire.
  • Abundance
  • Easy to deliver – Piped transportation make it easy to transport.
• Limitations
  • Non-Renewable Fossil Fuel – Emits CO2 – Global Warming, Climate change.
  • Easily inflammable
• Natural Gas comes in four basic forms:
  • Liquified Natural Gas (liquified at -160 degree celsius). This facilitate transportation in large volumes in cryogenic tankers across seas/ land.
  • Regasified LNG (RLNG): LNG re-gasified at import terminals before transporting it to consumers through pipelines.
  • Compressed Natural Gas (CNG): Compressed to a pressure of 200-250 kg/ cm3 – used for fuel transportation.
  • Piped Natural Gas: Natural gas distributed through a pipeline network that has safety valves to maintain the pressure, assure safe, uninterrupted supply to the domestic sector for cooking and heating/ cooling applications.