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218 Economic Survey 2021-22

waste and hazardous waste have been notified. Waste processing plants have been set
up. Extended producer responsibility for plastic and e-waste management has been
introduced. Burning of biomass/garbage has been banned.
iv. Monitoring of Ambient Air Quality: Air quality monitoring network of manual
as well as continuous monitoring stations, under programmes such as National Air
Monitoring Programme, have been expanded. Pilot projects have been initiated to
assess alternate ambient monitoring technologies such as low-cost sensors and satellite-
based monitoring. Air Quality Early Warning System, which provides alerts for taking
timely actions, is being implemented in Delhi, Kanpur and Lucknow.

6.42 As a result of these initiatives, 96 cities showed a decreasing trend of PM10 concentration
in 2020-21 as compared to 2019-20. The number of cities within the prescribed National Ambient
Air Quality Standard (PM10 less than 60 µg/m3) also increased from 18 in 2019-20 to 27 in
2020-21. However, air pollution remains a major concern, with 36 cities showing an increasing
trend in PM10 concentration in 2020-2021 as compared to 2019-2020.

6.43 In addition to the above measures, some key measures being taken for reducing air
pollution in Delhi / NCR are as follows:
i. A Commission on Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas was
promulgated vide ordinance dated 13 July 2021 for better co-ordination, research,
th
identification and resolution of problems surrounding the air quality index.

ii. To control emissions from stubble burning, under Central Government Scheme on
‘Promotion of Agricultural Mechanization for in-situ management of Crop Residue in
the States of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and NCT of Delhi’, agricultural machines
and equipment for in-situ crop residue management are promoted with 50 per cent
subsidy to the individual farmers and 80 per cent subsidy for establishment of custom
hiring centres.
iii. All diesel vehicles older than 10 years and all petrol vehicles older than 15 years have
been banned in Delhi and NCR.

iv. Expressways & Highways have been operationalized to divert non-destined traffic
away from Delhi.
v. Shifting industries to clean fuel and installation of Online Monitoring of Industrial
Emission & Effluent systems in red category industries in Delhi-NCR is in progress.

6.44 As a result of these interventions, there has been an improvement in air quality index for
Delhi since 2016 as seen in Table 2. The number of ‘Good’, ‘Satisfactory’ and ‘Moderate’ days
increased to 197 in 2021 as against 108 in 2016, and number of ‘Poor’, ‘Very Poor’ and ‘Severe’
days decreased to 168 in 2021 against 246 in 2016. The lower number of ‘Good’, ‘Satisfactory’
and ‘Moderate’ days and higher number of ‘Poor’, ‘Very Poor’ and ‘Severe’ days in 2021 as
compared to 2020 must be viewed in the context of the 2020 COVID-19 lockdowns.