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Context:

• Implementation of Clean Air Action Plans (CAAPs) under National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) is inconsistent.

Implementation status

• Under NCAP, cities continuously violating annual PM levels in India need to prepare and implement annual Clean Air Action Plans (CAAPs).
• To facilitate this, the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change has allocated 10,422.73 crore.
• Most cities proactively submitted their CAAPs yet their implementation has been inconsistent.
• On average, only 60% of the allocated funds have been used thus far, according to the Ministry, with 27% of cities spending less than 30% of their designated budgets.
• Visakhapatnam and Bengaluru have spent 0% and 1% of their NCAP funds, respectively.
• Cities should look into EI and SA data to pinpoint air pollutants and prepare mitigation measures targeting each polluting activity. According to the Portal for Regulation of Air-pollution in Non-Attainment Cities, only 37% of cities have completed El and SA studies.

Impacts

• Implementation delays hinder NCAP's success, particularly delays in approvals from the competent authorities (for example, the technical specification of tendering processes or for procuring products such as mechanical sweepers and electric buses).

Reasons For delays

• There is also a lack of standard operating procedures for the implementation process.
• Time-consuming tasks are required to implement control measures
• There is the absence of well-defined timelines that create further delays.
• Bureaucratic red-tape
• Doubts regarding the effectiveness of proposed mitigation measures. Ex. After recent findings over the inefficacy of outdoor smog towers, decision-makers hesitation is justified. But overcoming

How can scientific tools help?

• El( Emission inventory), AQ modeling, and SA( Source Apportionment) studies are critical to identifying and understanding the origins of pollution.
• Els provides insights into local pollution sources and their contributions, allowing experts to forecast future emissions based on demographic shifts and technological advancements across sectors, among other factors.
• Els also helps shape targeted pollution control strategies. They have their limitations, too, particularly in assessing the impact of transboundary pollution sources - such as when determining the effect of stubble burning outside Delhi on the city's air quality.
• SA studies offer a detailed analysis of various pollution sources.
• AQ modeling informs our understanding of pollution dispersion, including from distant sources.

Efficacy of the scientific tools:

• These tools aren't suited for predictive analysis and require substantial resources, including specialized personnel and equipment for chemical analysis.
• SA studies also can't distinguish between the origins of pollution, like, say, emissions from diesel trucks 200 m away and 20 km away, because diesel emissions have similar chemical signatures.
• These gaps can be bridged through AQ modeling, which informs our understanding of pollution dispersion, including from distant sources.

About NCAP

• It was launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in January 2019.
• It is the first-ever effort in the country to frame a national framework for air quality management with a time-bound reduction target.

Details about NCAP

• Reduction Targets: It aims to decrease the concentration of coarse (PM10) and fine particles (PM2.5) by a minimum of 20% within the next five years, using 2017 as the baseline year for comparison.
• Coverage: The program encompasses 132 non-attainment cities identified by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

Non-attainment cities: They are those that have consistently failed to meet National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for over five years. NAAQS Standards: NAAQS are the established standards for ambient air quality concerning various pollutants notified by the CPCB under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981. These include PM10, PM2.5, SO2, NO2, CO, NH3, Ozone, Lead, Benzene, Benzo-Pyrene, Arsenic, and Nickel.

• Changed Target Levels: Initially, the NCAP aimed for a 20-30% reduction in PM10 and PM2.5 pollution levels by 2024, compared to 2017 levels. However, in September 2022, the government revised the target to a 40% reduction by 2026.
• Assessment Criteria: Cities are required to demonstrate improvements starting from 2020-21, with a mandated 15% reduction in annual average PM10 concentration and an increase in clean air quality.

Conclusion:

India, as charted by NCAP, will be difficult but is necessary. NCAP's success hinges on a multifaceted approach that combines rigorous scientific studies, strategic funds, and swift and effective implementation of mitigation measures.

For more on NCAP read:

https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs/national-clean-air-programme-29

Source:

https://epaper.thehindu.com/ccidist-ws/th/th_international/issues/80643/OPS/G1ACNEIFK.1.png?cropFromPage=true

PRACTICE QUESTION Q)  In the cities of our country, which among the following pollutants are normally considered in calculating the National Ambient Air Quality Standards? (2016) Carbon dioxide Benzene Ammonia Sulfur dioxide Methane Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) 1, 2 and 3 only (b) 2, 3 and 4 only (c) 1, 4 and 5 only (d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 Ans: (b) NAAQS (National Ambient Air Quality Standards) are the established standards for ambient air quality concerning various pollutants notified by the CPCB under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981. These include PM10, PM2.5, SO2, NO2, CO, NH3, Ozone, Lead, Benzene, Benzo-Pyrene, Arsenic, and Nickel. While the NAAQS 2009 covers 12 pollutants, the AQI focuses on 8 major pollutants. AQI includes all the NAAQS pollutants except benzene, benzopyrene, arsenic, and nickel.