Pollution norms to be on a par with Europe

After a gap of 15 years, the government has decided to revise its norms to check air pollution in the country. For the first time, the authorities have made it mandatory for industrial areas to conform to the standards of residential zones. Due to the increasing levels of pollution, both industrial and vehicular, the ministry of environment and forest has introduced six new parameters.

“The measures taken are on a par with the European standards. Action will be taken against anyone flouting these norms. No distinction has been made between industrial and residential areas. The implementation of these norms is going to be a challenge,” said Jairam Ramesh, Union minister for environment and forest.

Experts from IIT-Kanpur and Central Pollution Control Board have added five more hazardous chemicals in the list of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for monitoring. They are ozone, arsenic, nickel, benzene and benzo(a)pyrene.

Debi Goenka of the Mumbai-based Conservation Action Trust welcomed the decision. “Till date the standards were set only for sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and SPM. Now that carcinogenic gases, like arsenic, nickel, benzene and benzo(a)pyrene, have also been added to the list, it should help in controlling air pollution,” he said. “But for that, the norms have to be strictly implemented.”

Prof Nishikant Kale, an expert on climate change, said that the decision should have been taken long ago. “We are 10 years behind the European Union. The norms should be implemented in at least in 45 cities in India, not just the four metros,” he said. “We hope to see carbon dioxide as well in the list in near future.”