Government data disclosed that only about 50 per cent of the total fund released under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) has been utilised by the concerned authorities.
As the air quality in the national capital and its surrounding areas on Saturday remained in the poor category.
What is National Clean Air Program?
- It is a central government’s initiative which was launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in January 2019.
- It is a national-level strategy for the prevention, control and abatement of air pollution.
- This scheme aims to achieve the target of a 20 to 30 per cent reduction in Particulate Matter(PM) i.e. PM2.5 and PM10 concentration by 2024 across the country.
PM2.5 and PM10:
Particulate matter (PM) is a complex mixture of solids and aerosols composed of small droplets of liquid, dry solid fragments, and solid cores with liquid coatings.
Particles vary widely in size, shape and chemical composition, and may contain inorganic ions, metallic compounds, elemental carbon, organic compounds, and compounds from the earth’s crust.
Such Particles are defined by their diameter, this with a diameter of 10 microns or less are PM10 particles.
Particles that are 2.5 microns or less in diameter are PM2.5 particles.
Key features
- It is a mid-term, five-year action plan with 2019 as the first year..
- The approach for the scheme includes collaborative, multi-scale and cross-sectoral coordination between the relevant central ministries, state governments and local bodies..
- The NCAP is 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.
National Clean Air Program Cities
City specific action plans are formulated for 102 cities identified for implementing mitigation actions under National Clean Air Program.
National Clean Air Program Under which ministry?
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change regulates the National Clean Air Program.
Under which act National Clean Air Program comes?
The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, was enacted under article 253 of the Constitution.
Conclusion
Amid the rising level of air pollution in the national capital and surrounding areas, Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has advised the district authorities to ensure verification of all reported farm fire incidents within 48 hours and take strict action against the violators.
Officials said that the Commission had been actively monitoring paddy residue burning events for a month now, from September 15, 2022, onwards, in Punjab, Haryana and eight NCR districts of Uttar Pradesh. This residue burning causes more air pollution.
The current year has so far seen a reduction in fire counts as compared to the corresponding period of last year.
Read more:
https://govtschemesin.com/index.php/2022/10/23/voluntary-subsidy-scheme/
https://govtschemesin.com/index.php/2022/10/22/nmmss/
https://govtschemesin.com/index.php/2022/10/19/pmjay-ma-yojana-ayushman-cards/