What will change with revised air quality standards?

India for the first time will now have a uniform health-based National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS), discontinuing the old practice of setting air quality standards for different land use classes like residential and industrial.

The new ambient air quality standards, revised after a gap of 15 years, provide a legal framework for the control of air pollution and the protection of public health and any citizen can approach the court demanding better air quality.

The important changes are:

- Air quality assessment will now be done on the basis of five new parameters - Ozone, Arsenic, Nickel, Benzene, Benzopyrene - that have been included for the first time under NAAQS.

- Area classification based on land-use has been done away with so that industrial areas have to conform to the same air pollution standards as residential areas.

- Act as a whistleblower for automobile companies as it will compel them to switch to fuel efficient engineering.

- The standards shall be applicable uniformly with the exception of stringent standards for nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide in nine ecologically sensitive areas in the country to protect the rare and endangered flora and fauna.

- The standard for nitrogen oxide has been made more stringent, from the existing 60 microgramme per cubic metre, it has been tightened down to 40 microgramme per cubic metre.

- The standards have brought two deadly pollutants - PM 2.5 and ozone - within the ambit of regulation. Both of these have begun to rise in cities. Delhi, particularly, has already begun to experience ozone pollution.

- Suspended Particulate matter as parameter has been replaced by fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) which is more relevant for public health.

- PM 2.5 are tiny particles in the air that reduce visibility and cause the air to appear hazy when levels are elevated. Exposure to fine particles can cause health effects such as eye, nose, throat and lung irritation, coughing, sneezing, runny nose and shortness of breath. It can also affect lung function and worsen medical conditions such as asthma and heart disease.

- Enforcement agencies - National Green Tribunal (NGT) and National Environment Protection Authority (NEPA) - are being formed to ensure effective enforcement of the standards.

Last updated on Nov 18^th, 2009 at 18:53 pm IST--IANS