10-Feb-2022: Status of Marine litter in the country

Various studies have been conducted covering Nine Coastal States, and UT’s Puducherry, Andaman & Nicobar & Lakshadweep Islands.

      1. During 2018, 2019, and 2021 National Centre for Coastal Research an attached office of the Ministry has undertaken beach clean-up activities, awareness programs at regular intervals, and beach litter quantification studies.
      2. The studies on the effect of various beach activities on marine litter and microplastics distribution & characterization were also carried out at selected beaches along the southeast coast of India.
      3. Micro-plastic studies in the coastal water and offshore sediment were carried out along the east coast of India to identify major plastic accumulation zones and the data has been published in International journals.

Following steps have been initiated for the formulation of the National Marine Litter Policy.

      1. As there is a dearth of data on marine litter sources, pathways, transport processes, and quantification of the amount of litter entering the marine environment, several studies have been undertaken to map the litter which is an important component for the Policy paper. Ministry of Earth Sciences through its attached office National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR), has initiated monitoring of temporal and spatial distribution of marine litter along the Indian coasts and adjacent seas. The research so far indicates that Marine Litter is spread along entire water column and sediment and high quantities are noticed during monsoon due to its spread into coastal water through creeks/rivers/estuaries by rainwater.
      2. In addition, several National level workshops have been conducted involving scientists from different research institutes, stakeholders, policymakers, industry and academic experts to prepare a roadmap for formulating the National Marine litter Policy.
      3. Moreover, the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has notified Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, and its amendments, which provide the statutory framework for plastic waste management in the country. The Plastic Waste Management (PWM) Rules, 2016, prohibits manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of carry bags and plastic sheets less than fifty microns in thickness in the country. There is complete ban on sachets using plastic material used for storing, packing or selling gutkha, tobacco and pan masala. MoEF&CC had also issued “Standard Guidelines for Single-Use Plastic” on 21st January 2019 to all States/UTs and Ministries. Further, the Government of India has initiated several programmes such as “Swachh Bharat Abhiyan”, National Mission for Clean Ganga and Smart Cities Mission” in order to develop clean and sustainable environment which contribute towards the Marine Litter Policy.

The various categories of waste found on the shores of the coastal states are in the order of: -

      1. Plastics- Single use of Plastics i.e., Bottles, food Wrappers, Cutlery items, polythene bags,
      2. Fishing nets,
      3. Glass – Liquor bottles,
      4. Rubber- footwears
      5. Clothes- Face masks and religious activities
      6. Paper,
      7. Metals and
      8. Miscellaneous items – diapers and household materials.

Some of the steps taken by Government in the last four years to mitigate the harmful impacts of marine litter on ecology of coastal states are:

      1. Regular beach clean-up and awareness programs at the national level are being conducted involving school, college, and University students, research institutes, and NGOs.
      2. At regular intervals, webinars are being conducted and the level of marine pollution is disseminated through print media to sensitize the people about the ill effects of plastic/marine litter on the marine environment.
      3. A framework for a clean ocean mission (Swachhata Sagar), as a component of the “Swachhata Action Plan”, has been prepared through the Ministry of Earth Sciences research institutions.
      4. To understand the effect of different types of polymers (microplastics) on fisheries, and biota, research has been undertaken to estimate the level of contamination
      5. Ban on the usage of Identified single-use plastics has been notified by the central government and several state governments have already implemented the same to mitigate the harmful impacts of marine litter.

10-Feb-2022: Establishment of fresh air quality standards

Government has notified National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for 12 pollutants in 2009 to protect public health and environment from air pollution.  Review of the existing standards, criteria governing these standards as well as incorporating new parameters with advances in scientific research is a continuous process. With changes in fuel, technology and demographics as well as advances in air pollution measurement techniques, risk and exposure assessment, review of Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) are carried for better improvement in public health. Review of NAAQS has been sanctioned to a joint team lead by IIT Kanpur.

Government has launched National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) as a national level strategy to reduce air pollution levels across the country. NCAP aims to meet prescribed annual average ambient air quality standards across the country in a stipulated timeframe. Accordingly, list of non-attainment cities i.e. cities exceeding national standards for 05 consecutive years is updated annually and such cities are directed to prepare and implement city action plans for improvement in air quality.

Under NCAP, City Specific Clean Air Action Plans have been prepared and rolled out for implementation in 132 non-attainment and million plus cities. These action plans focus on city specific short/ medium/ long term actions to control air pollution from sources such as vehicular emission, road dust, burning of biomass/ crop/ garbage/ Municipal Solid Waste, landfills, construction activities, industrial emission, etc.

National Knowledge Network of leading academic institutions in States have been constituted to facilitate exchange of technical knowhow on air quality management. Institutes of Repute (IoR) have been identified for local technical capacity building.

3-Feb-2022: Revision of Air Quality Standards

Government has notified National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for 12 pollutants in 2009 to protect public health and environment from air pollution.

Review of the existing standards, criteria governing these standards as well as incorporating new parameters with advances in scientific research is a continuous process. With changes in fuel, technology and demographics as well as advances in air pollution measurement techniques, risk and exposure assessment, review of Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) are carried for better improvement in public health. Review of NAAQS has been sanctioned to a joint team lead by IIT Kanpur.

The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 stipulates functions of Central Pollution Control Board and State Pollution Control Board as given below:

Section 16(2)(h) – Central Pollution Control Board may lay down standards for quality of air.

Section 17(1)(g) – State Pollution Control Board shall lay down, in consultation with the Central Pollution Control Board and having regard to the standards for the quality of air laid down by the Central Pollution Control Board, standards for emission of air pollutants into the atmosphere from industrial plants and automobiles or for the discharge of any air pollutant into the atmosphere from any other source whatsoever not being a ship or an aircraft.

World Health Organisation (WHO) has published WHO’s Air Quality guideline (AQG) in September, 2021, The guideline makes recommendations for air quality levels to protect health of population and specifically mention that national standards should be decided in due consideration of other governing factors like background level, socio-economic status, national goals and further scientific research based outcome.

However, these guidelines for ambient air quality are guidance to policy makers and not legally binding. Periodic revision of NAAQS is undertaken to include new advancements in air pollution monitoring and its health impact.

2-Feb-2022: Decarbonization of the Transport Sector

To promote eco-friendly means of transportation and decarbonize the transport sector, Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has notified  mass emission standards to introduce alternate fuels viz. blends of ethanol with gasoline ( E-10, E-12, E-15, E-20), flex-fuel (E 85) or (E 100) and Ethanol blend for diesel vehicles (ED 95), Biodiesel, Bio-CNG, Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), Methanol M15 or M100 and Methanol MD 95,  dual fuel, M85 and Dimethyl Ether (DME or D100), Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicle, Hydrogen CNG. 

Further, the steps taken by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways to adopt electric mobility in the country are as under:-

  1. For promotion of electric vehicles, Government has notified GSR 167(E) dated 1st March 2019 for retro-fitment of hybrid electric system or electric kit to vehicles and their compliance standards shall be as per AIS 123.
  2. Government vide G.S.R 749(E) dated 7th August, 2018, has notified  the registration mark for Battery Operated Vehicles to be in Yellow colour on Green background for the transport vehicles and, for all other cases, in White colour on Green background.
  3. Further, the Government, vide S.O. 5333(E) dated 18th  October, 2018, has also granted exemption to the Battery Operated Transport Vehicles and Transport Vehicles running on Ethanol and Methanol fuels from the requirements of permit.
  4. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways,  vide GSR 525(E) dated 2nd August, 2021 has exempted Battery Operated Vehicles from the payment of fees for the purpose of  issue or renewal of registration certificate and assignment of new registration mark.
  5. Ministry has issued an advisory dated 17th July, 2019 to all States and Union Territories regarding incentivisation of electric vehicles and induction of electric vehicles in shared mobility and public transport operations.
  6. The Government has issued an advisory dated 12th August, 2020 to all States and UTs regarding sale and registration of Electric Vehicles without batteries.
  7. The Government has issued an advisory dated 16th June, 2021 to all States and UTs regarding promotion of battery operated vehicles.

As per the third Biennial Update Report submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in February 2021, the total greenhouse gas (GHGs) emission from the transport sector in 2016 was 274.43 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent, which is 9.67% of the total GHG emissions (without LULUCF i.e. Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry) of India. Further, the Government has taken various measures to curtail the CO2 emissions which are mentioned in part (a) of the reply. 

  1. Kigali Amendment
  2. Climate Smart Cities Assessment Framework (CSCAF)
  3. Guidelines for Evaluation of Nano-based Agri-input and food products in India
  4. Advisory to import live exotic animals
  5. Bharat Stage-IV
  6. Growbags