Government likely to come out with NCAP around August 15

The Environment Ministry is likely to come out with its National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), which proposes multiple strategies to combat air pollution, around August 15.

The ministry has prepared the draft NCAP with an objective to come up with a comprehensive plan for prevention, control and abatement of air pollution, and to augment the air quality monitoring network across the country.

Various green groups have submitted their recommendations to the ministry on the draft.

The ministry had earlier said that it would come out with the programme by the end of August.

"We are trying to come out with the programme around August 15 and deliberations are on," a senior environment ministry official told PTI.

He said that meetings with various ministries are also being held on the matter.

Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan had said that the ministry hoped to bring down air pollution in around 100 non-attainment cities by 50 per cent in the next five years under the NCAP.

Non-attainment cities are areas with air quality worse than the National Ambient Air Quality (NAAQ) Standards.

According to reports, the NCAP is also likely to have three timelines to gradually reduce pollution in the cities and bring it down by 70-80 per cent.

However, there was no official confirmation on the matter.

The key components of the NCAP include city-specific air pollution abatement action plan for 100 polluting cities of the country increasing the number of monitoring stations, data dissemination, public participation on planning and implementation.

According to ministry sources, the NCAP will not be notified but will be finalised and sent to states for them to implement.