Centre formulates plan to tackle air pollution across the country

The Rajya Sabha was also informed about the number of stubble burning cases during the Kharif season in Haryana.

The Centre has formulated the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) to tackle increasing air pollution across the country in a comprehensive manner, Parliament was informed Monday.

Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan, in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, said that the government has formulated the NCAP as a “long-term time-bound national level strategy”.

Vardhan said that the objective is to augment and evolve an effective ambient air quality monitoring network across the country, besides ensuring a comprehensive management plan for prevention, control and abatement of air pollution. “The NCAP focuses on a collaborative and participatory approach comprising all sources of pollution and coordination between relevant central ministries, state governments, local bodies and other stakeholders,” he said.

The Rajya Sabha was also informed about the number of stubble burning cases during the Kharif season in Haryana. “As informed by Central Pollution Control Board, total stubble burning cases reported in Haryana during Kharif season in 2017 is 12,606,” said Mahesh Sharma, Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change.