What happened: Rajya Sabha reply on NCAP’s impact and air-quality frameworks

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change provided a written reply in the Rajya Sabha on the impact of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) on particulate pollution levels. The reply also restated the Government’s air-quality framework: National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for key pollutants, Air Quality Index (AQI) for public-facing information, and mission-mode city action planning monitored through central, state and district-level committees.

Air pollution sources and the measurement premise

The Government outlined that air pollution results from multiple anthropogenic sources such as vehicular and industrial emissions, construction and demolition dust, dust from roads and open areas, burning of biomass and municipal solid waste, landfill fires, and other dispersed sources. The reply also emphasised that pollution levels across countries are not directly comparable because geographical settings, weather conditions and national circumstances differ.

Framework: NAAQS and AQI for air-quality governance

The Government notified National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for 12 air pollutants, including PM10 and PM2.5, with the stated purpose of safeguarding public health and environmental quality. To communicate air quality and associated health implications in an easily understandable manner, the Government launched the Air Quality Index (AQI) in 2015.

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