• The environment ministry launched a portal, PRANA (Portal for Regulation of Air-pollution in Non-Attainment cities), to track the progress of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP).

• The National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) was launched in 2019 as a long-term, time-bound, national level strategy to tackle the air pollution problem across the country.

• City-specific action plans for improving air quality for 132 non-attainment cities (NACs)/Million Plus Cities (MPC), targeting city specific air polluting sources (soil & road dust, vehicles, domestic fuel, municipal solid waste burning, construction material and industries) have been prepared and are already being implemented.

• The portal will support tracking of physical as well as financial status of city air action plan implementation, and disseminate information on air quality to the public.

What is NCAP?

• The ministry of environment, forest and climate change launched the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) in January 2019 as a national-level strategy advising the actions for reducing the levels of air pollution at city and regional levels in India. 

• Under NCAP, non-attainment cities are identified on the basis of non-conforming to National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for five consecutive years.

• The programme is designed to support the government’s target of 20-30 per cent reduction of PM2.5 and PM10 concentration by 2024.

• While particulate matter (PM) 2.5 refers to particles in air with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres, PM 10 level refers to particles in the air with a diameter of less than 10 micrometres.

• NCAP has adopted an integrated approach that focuses on various mitigation and preventive measures to tackle the contributors to air pollution, namely thermal power plants, vehicular and industrial emissions, biomass and waste burning, construction and demolition waste, etc. 

Objectives of NCAP:

• Ensure stringent implementation of mitigation measures for prevention, control and abatement of air pollution.

• Augment and evolve effective and proficient ambient air quality monitoring network across the country for ensuring a comprehensive and reliable database.

• Augment public awareness and capacity-building measures encompassing data dissemination and public outreach programmes for inclusive public participation and for ensuring trained manpower and infrastructure on air pollution.

Actions under NCAP are being executed under three major heads:

• Knowledge and Database Augmentation

• Institutional Strengthening

• Mitigation Actions. 

• Actions include expansion of ambient air quality monitoring network, source apportionment studies, mechanical sweepers, composting units, construction and demolition waste management facilities, mobile enforcement units, cycling tracks, greening and paving, etc.

Manorama Yearbook app is now available on Google Play Store and iOS App Store