National Clean Air Programme to reduce toxic particulate matter launched

With 2019 as its first year, the NCAP is a mid-term, five-year action plan that includes collaborative, multi-scale and cross-sectoral coordination between relevant Central ministries, state governments and local bodies.

By: Agencies | | Updated: January 11, 2019 10:15 am

Dr Harsh Vardhan said that the overall objective of the NCAP includes prevention, control and abatement of air pollution (File pic)

Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Dr Harsh Vardhan on Thursday launched the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) aiming to reduce toxic particulate matter by 2024, taking 2017 as the base year. With 2019 as its first year, the NCAP is a mid-term, five-year action plan that includes collaborative, multi-scale and cross-sectoral coordination between relevant Central ministries, state governments and local bodies.

The programme, he said, will be institutionalized by respective ministries and will be organized through inter-sectoral groups, which include, Ministry of Road Transport and Highway, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Ministry of Heavy Industry, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Health, NITI Aayog, CPCB, experts from the industry, academia, and civil society.

NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant, who was also present at the launch, said NCAP is a path-breaking initiative as it addresses an alarming challenge of urbanization i.e. air pollution.

“Today, cities occupy just 3 per cent of the land, contribute to 82 per cent of GDP but are responsible for 78 per cent of Carbon dioxide emissions. Cities though are engines of growth and equity, have to be sustainable and it is in this context that NCAP holds special relevance, ” he said.

Vardhan’s office in a release said cities have already prepared action plans in consultation with the CPCB.

“Institutional framework at Centre and state-level comprising the apex committee at the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change in the Centre and at Chief Secretary Level in states are to be constituted,” it said.

In addition, the release said, sectoral working groups, national level Project Monitoring Unit, Project Implementation Unit, state level project monitoring unit, city level review committee under the Municipal Commissioner and DM level Committee in the Districts are to be constituted under NCAP for effective implementation and success of the Programme.

Other features of NCAP include, increasing number of monitoring stations in the country including rural monitoring stations, technology support, emphasis on awareness and capacity building initiatives, setting up of certification agencies for monitoring equipment, source apportionment studies, emphasis on enforcement, and specific sectoral interventions.

Meanwhile, experts from across the country have hailed the Union environment ministry’s decision but did not forget to mention that the government needs to be serious in its implementation to see results.

“It is good to see the final version of NCAP out after a long wait with the vision of reducing air pollution levels across the country. We hoped it would be much stronger in providing sector-wise targets, targets for cities and mentioned strong legal backing to take action against non-implementation,” said Sunil Dahiya, Senior Campaigner, Greenpeace India.

Ashutosh Dikshit, CEO of the United Residents Joint Action said: “The NCAP comes in a series of several such plans. Welcome as it is, it will remain an intellectual exercise if steps are not taken to implement it. The public needs to see demonstrable intent from the government which is so far missing.”

Another expert pointed out that the NCAP is not legally binding and that there might not be any serious consequence of not following the programme.

Source: IANS

Published : January 11, 2019 9:19 am | Updated:January 11, 2019 10:15 am

Read Disclaimer

Swedish woman first to get pregnant after having womb transplant performed by robot

3 new AIIMS to be set up in India

About The health Site

Useful Links