Measures to Curb Air Pollution in Tourism Industry

As informed by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Air pollution in Delhi is a collective result of multiple factors including high level of anthropogenic activities in the high-density populated areas in NCR, arising from various sectors viz. Vehicular Pollution, Industrial Pollution, Dust from Construction & Demolition Project activities, Road and Open Areas Dust, Biomass Burning, Municipal Solid Waste burning, Fires in Landfills, air pollution from dispersed sources, etc. During post-monsoon and winter months, lower temperature, lower mixing heights, inversion conditions and stagnant winds lead to trapping of the pollutants resulting in high pollution in the region. This is further aggravated due to the emissions from episodic events like firecrackers and stubble burning in NCR States. Air Quality Index is a tool for effective communication of air quality status to people in terms, which are easy to understand. It transforms complex air quality data of various pollutants into a single number (index value), nomenclature and colour. The web-based system is designed to provide AQI on real time basis. It is an automated system that captures data from continuous monitoring stations without human intervention, and displays AQI based on running average values. For manual monitoring stations, an AQI calculator is developed wherein data can be fed manually to get AQI value. The AQI values ranges from 0 to 500. There are six AQI categories, namely Good, Satisfactory, Moderately polluted, Poor, Very Poor, and Severe which are mentioned below: AQI Categories AQI value Good 0–50 Satisfactory 51-100 Moderate 101-200 Poor 201-300 Very Poor 301-400 Severe >400 Various initiatives have been taken for control of pollution from different sources (transport, C&D activities, industries etc.) in Delhi-NCR, which has resulted in overall improvement in air quality. However, effectiveness of each of these actions can’t be evaluated in absolute terms as meteorological parameters like wind speed and mixing height which are variable factors also play crucial role in governing overall air quality.  Various measures taken by the Government to reduce Air Pollution in Delhi-NCR from different sources, are enclosed as Annexure-I . Due to the concerted efforts made by all stakeholders, gradual improvement has been observed in Delhi air quality. The number of days of Good-Moderate Air Quality Index (AQI) categories has increased to more than 200 for consecutive two years i.e. 2023 and 2024 in comparison of 110 days in 2016. Further, 2024 has recorded maximum number of days (209) in Good-Moderate AQI categories since 2016, except for COVID year 2020. The details of AQI of Delhi from 2016-2024 are enclosed as Annexure-II. This information was given by Union Minister for Tourism and Culture Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in a written reply in Lok Sabha today. *** Sunil Kumar Tiwari tourism4pib[at]gmail[dot]com ANNEXURE-I Steps taken by the Government for abatement of Air Pollution in Delhi NCR: Annexure-II Comparative Status of AQI- Delhi from 01 January to 31 December, 2016-2024 Category Year 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 No. of days 354 365 365 365 366 365 365 365 366 Good (0–50) 0 2 0 2 5 1 3 1 0 110 152 159 182 227 197 163 206  209 Satisfactory (51–100) 24 45 53 59 95 72 65 60 66 Moderate (101–200) 86 105 106 121 127 124 95 145 143 Poor (201–300) 120 115 114 103 75 80 130 77 70 244 213 206 183 139 168 202 159 157 Very Poor (301–400) 99 89 72 56 49 64 66 67 70 Severe (>401) 25 9 20 24 15 24 6 15 17 ******* As informed by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Air pollution in Delhi is a collective result of multiple factors including high level of anthropogenic activities in the high-density populated areas in NCR, arising from various sectors viz. Vehicular Pollution, Industrial Pollution, Dust from Construction & Demolition Project activities, Road and Open Areas Dust, Biomass Burning, Municipal Solid Waste burning, Fires in Landfills, air pollution from dispersed sources, etc. During post-monsoon and winter months, lower temperature, lower mixing heights, inversion conditions and stagnant winds lead to trapping of the pollutants resulting in high pollution in the region. This is further aggravated due to the emissions from episodic events like firecrackers and stubble burning in NCR States. Air Quality Index is a tool for effective communication of air quality status to people in terms, which are easy to understand. It transforms complex air quality data of various pollutants into a single number (index value), nomenclature and colour. The web-based system is designed to provide AQI on real time basis. It is an automated system that captures data from continuous monitoring stations without human intervention, and displays AQI based on running average values. For manual monitoring stations, an AQI calculator is developed wherein data can be fed manually to get AQI value. The AQI values ranges from 0 to 500. There are six AQI categories, namely Good, Satisfactory, Moderately polluted, Poor, Very Poor, and Severe which are mentioned below: AQI Categories AQI value Good 0–50 Satisfactory 51-100 Moderate 101-200 Poor 201-300 Very Poor 301-400 Severe >400 Various initiatives have been taken for control of pollution from different sources (transport, C&D activities, industries etc.) in Delhi-NCR, which has resulted in overall improvement in air quality. However, effectiveness of each of these actions can’t be evaluated in absolute terms as meteorological parameters like wind speed and mixing height which are variable factors also play crucial role in governing overall air quality.  Various measures taken by the Government to reduce Air Pollution in Delhi-NCR from different sources, are enclosed as Annexure-I . Due to the concerted efforts made by all stakeholders, gradual improvement has been observed in Delhi air quality. The number of days of Good-Moderate Air Quality Index (AQI) categories has increased to more than 200 for consecutive two years i.e. 2023 and 2024 in comparison of 110 days in 2016. Further, 2024 has recorded maximum number of days (209) in Good-Moderate AQI categories since 2016, except for COVID year 2020. The details of AQI of Delhi from 2016-2024 are enclosed as Annexure-II. This information was given by Union Minister for Tourism and Culture Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in a written reply in Lok Sabha today. *** Sunil Kumar Tiwari tourism4pib[at]gmail[dot]com ANNEXURE-I Steps taken by the Government for abatement of Air Pollution in Delhi NCR: Annexure-II Comparative Status of AQI- Delhi from 01 January to 31 December, 2016-2024 Category Year 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 No. of days 354 365 365 365 366 365 365 365 366 Good (0–50) 0 2 0 2 5 1 3 1 0 110 152 159 182 227 197 163 206  209 Satisfactory (51–100) 24 45 53 59 95 72 65 60 66 Moderate (101–200) 86 105 106 121 127 124 95 145 143 Poor (201–300) 120 115 114 103 75 80 130 77 70 244 213 206 183 139 168 202 159 157 Very Poor (301–400) 99 89 72 56 49 64 66 67 70 Severe (>401) 25 9 20 24 15 24 6 15 17 *******