Context:
Recently, the awards for Swachh Vayu Survekshan (Clean Air Survey) 2023 were announced. The survey was conducted by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
Relevance:
GS II: Government Policies and Interventions
Dimensions of the Article:
- Swachh Vayu Survekshan 2023
- Performance Highlights of Swachh Vayu Survekshan 2023
- About the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)
Swachh Vayu Survekshan 2023
- Swachh Vayu Survekshan (SVS) is a novel initiative launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
- Its primary objective is to rank cities based on air quality and the implementation of activities sanctioned under the city action plan (National Clean Air Program – NCAP) in 131 non-attainment cities.
- Non-attainment status is attributed to cities consistently failing to meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for PM10 or NO2 over a 5-year period.
- City categorization aligns with data from the 2011 population census.
Assessment Criteria
The evaluation of cities in SVS 2023 is based on eight key parameters:
- Control of biomass
- Municipal solid waste burning
- Road dust
- Dust from construction and demolition waste
- Vehicular emissions
- Industrial emissions
- Public awareness
- Improvement in PM10 concentration
Performance Highlights of Swachh Vayu Survekshan 2023
1st Category: Million Plus Population
- Top 3 Cities: Indore, Agra, Thane
- Worst Performers: Madurai (46), Howrah (45), Jamshedpur (44)
- Notable: Bhopal ranked 5th, Delhi ranked 9th
2nd Category: 3-10 Lakhs Population
- Top 3 Cities: Amravati, Moradabad, Guntur
- Worst Performers: Jammu (38), Guwahati (37), Jalandhar (36)
3rd Category: Less than 3 Lakhs Population
- Top 3 Cities: Parwanoo, Kala Amb, Angul
- Worst Performer: Kohima (39)
Comparison with SVS 2022
- In SVS 2022, the top three spots in the million-plus category were secured by cities in Uttar Pradesh (Lucknow, Prayagraj, Varanasi), all of which have ranked lower in SVS 2023.
About the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)
- Aim: The NCAP is designed to systematically address air pollution by involving all relevant stakeholders and ensuring necessary actions are taken.
- City Coverage: It encompasses 131 cities across India, targeting specific action plans for each of them.
- Key Target: This program marks the country’s first-ever effort to establish a national framework for air quality management with a clear, time-bound reduction goal.
- Reduction Target: The NCAP aims to reduce the concentration of coarse particles (PM10) and fine particles (PM2.5) by a minimum of 20% within five years, using 2017 as the base year for comparison.
- Monitoring Tool: To facilitate its goals, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) launched the “PRANA” portal. This platform serves multiple functions:
- Monitoring Implementation: It tracks the progress of NCAP implementation.
- Action Plan Status: Monitors the status of action plans in various cities.
- Best Practices Sharing: Provides a space for cities to share successful practices for others to adopt.
-Source: The Hindu
