National Afforestation Programme and Green India Mission implemented to increase forest and tree cover

Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Ashwini Kumar Choubey in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today said that the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change administers the Control of Pollution Scheme Central Sector Scheme to curb environmental pollution. The main objective of the Control of Pollution scheme is to monitor air quality across the country and take appropriate air pollution mitigation measures, besides monitoring water quality and noise levels in the country The Control of Pollution scheme is operational since 2018, the component under the scheme are as mentioned below:

1. Assistance for Abatement of Pollution to weaker State Pollution Control Boards/ Pollution Control Committees (SPCBs/PCCs)and to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
2. National Clean Air Programme (NCAP).
3. Environmental Monitoring Network Programme:
   1. Operation and Maintenance of National Air Quality Monitoring Programme (NAMP) stations.
   2. Operation and Maintenance of Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS).
   3. National Ambient Noise Monitoring Network (NANMN) – strengthening and establishment of New Stations in Million Plus Cities.
   4. National Water Monitoring Programme (NWMP).
4. Research and Outreach Programmes.

In the written reply it was stated that for Increase of forest and tree cover in the country various schemes are implemented by the Central and State Government/Union Territory Administration. These include the National Afforestation Programme (NAP) for regeneration of degraded forest and adjoining areas in the country and Green India Mission (GIM). Afforestation activities are also taken up under various programmes/funding sources such as Compensatory Afforestation Funds in lieu of deforestation due to development activities, afforestation activities under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA), National Agroforestry Policy and Sub-mission on Agro-forestry (SMAF), National Bamboo Mission and National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture.

Shri Choubey also said that Government has taken several steps for mitigation of pollution which include ban on single use plastic, introduction of BS-VI norms for fuel and vehicles since April, 2020, promotion of E-vehicles, cleaner fuel such as PNG, zig-zag technology for brick kilns, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for plastic and e-waste management, real time monitoring of major industrial sectors, etc. The Ministry has also notified various rules such as Hazardous and other waste Management (HWM) rules, E-waste rules and Bio Medical Waste rules. Emission and discharge standards for various sectors have also been notified.  The CPCB and SPCBs/PCCs regularly monitor the compliance of industrial emission/effluent discharges and other operational activities according to the prescribed standards.Further, requirement of prior environment clearances to various projects and activities has been mandated as per the provisions of EIA Notification 2006. While according EC to development project(s), necessary conditions, environmental safeguard and measures are stipulated for their effective implementation during the construction and operation of the project. The safeguard measures are intended to minimize adverse impacts, inter alia, on (i) air quality, (ii) water quality, (iii) land degradation, (iv) bio-diversity, and (v) wildlife habitat.

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