Rajya Sabha informed about show cause notices issued by CPCB over rising pollution

Show cause notices have been issued by the CPCB to four agencies for violation of air pollution norms, Union Minister of State for Environment Mahesh Sharma told Parliament on Monday. Replying to a question in the Rajya Sabha, he said the Supreme Court in its order dated November 26 has directed the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) and authorities under Graded Response Action Plan to take immediate action for prosecution of the nodal agencies that are not taking the issue of air pollution seriously.

Show-cause notices have been issued by CPCB for prosecution to four agencies, the Northern Railways, the Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd. (DSIIDC) and the National Highways Authority of India on November 12 and to the Irrigation and Flood Control Department and the Government of National Capital Territory, Delhi, on December 3, Sharma said. The minister also said Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring System (CAAQMS) data has indicated some improvement in the air quality of Delhi in 2018 compared to 2017.

"There is an increase in the number of 'Good' to 'Moderate' days to 159 from 152 in 2017, and reduction in the number of 'Poor' to 'Severe' days from 213 in 2017 to 206 in 2018. The annual average values of PM10 and PM2.5 have decreased to 243 µg/m3and 115 µg/m3in 2018 from 266 µg/m3 and 124 µg/m3 in 2017 respectively," he said.

(With inputs from agencies.)