AIR POLLUTION

IN GURUGRAM
CAUSES, EFFECTS AND SOLUTIONS
November 2020

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2 | Air pollution in Gurugram
Background
Air pollution is the cause for a serious environmental health crisis in India. It was
the third leading risk factor for mortality in India in 2017 (after dietary risks & high
BP). The exposure to outdoor particulate matter (PM) accounts for a loss of 1.5
years in life expectancy. Air pollution levels in India are among the highest in the
world, which is responsible for 10% of the total disease burden in the country1. It
causes about 1.2 million premature deaths annually2. Twenty-one of the world’s 30
cities with the worst air pollution are in India, with 6 Indian cities being in the top
10 globally. There are currently 122 non-attainment cities in the country where the
national ambient air quality standards are exceeded. In recent years, medium and
small towns and cities have also witnessed an increase in pollution, thus getting
reflected rapidly in the list of non-attainment cities of India.
Furthermore, since air pollution is not a localized phenomenon, the effect is felt in
cities and towns far away from the source, thus creating the need for regional-level
initiatives through inter-state and inter-city coordination in addition to multi-sectoral
synchronization. Besides impacting the health of the citizens, air pollution also has
impacts on agriculture, climate, buildings, and aesthetics- in terms of visibility.
In addition to being among the largest cause of mortality, it is also the major risk to
cities for economy, work productivity, healthcare costs and tourism, among others.
Some of the air pollutants are also climate-forcing agents responsible for near-term
warming of the planet, thus forming a strong linkage between air pollution and
climate change as well.

1 India State-Level Disease Burden Initiative Collaborators (Dandona et al., 2017) and ICMR, PHFI, and IHME (2017)
2 The Global Alliance on Health and Pollution (GAHP) 2019 metrics

Background | 3
 Air Quality
Gurugram is among the
worst affected cities by
air pollution. In 2018, it
ranked number 1 as the
most polluted city in IQAir
In March 2019, AirVisual’s 2018 World Air
Gurugram was Quality Report3. In March
again named 2019, Gurugram was
the 7th most again named the 7th most
polluted city polluted city in the world
in the world by the IQAir Visual’s 2019
by the IQAir World Air Quality Report4.
Visual's 2019 Gurugram has four air
World Air quality monitoring stations
at the following locations: Figure 1 Air Pollution Monitoring Stations in Gurugram
Quality Report
NISE Gwal Pahari, TERI
Gram, Gurugram University in sector 51 and Vikas Sadan. These stations record ambient
concentrations of various pollutants which are then used to arrive at an air quality index5.
While the data from these stations suggests that the level of both PM2.5 and PM10 have
been well above the prescribed standards, the levels have shown a slight decrease over
the years6.
Recently, an air lab has been operational since October 2020 that monitors air-pollution
data from 24 air-monitors located across the city. The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram
(MCG) is working on individual action plans for reducing air-pollution at 14 hotspots
across the city7.

3 https://www.iqair.com/us/blog/press-releases/IQAir-AirVisual-2018-World-Air-Quality-Report-Reveals-Worlds-Most-Polluted-
Cities
4 https://www.iqair.com/world-most-polluted-cities/world-air-quality-report-2019-en.pdf
5 The National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) lists 12 pollutants, namely, PM10, PM2.5, SO2, NO2, CO, NH3, Ozone, Lead,
Benzene, Benzo-a Pyrene, Arsenic and Nickel. The Air Quality Index (AQI) helps put in a single number to 8 of these pollutants
(except Benzene, Benzo-a Pyrene, Arsenic and Nickel) to convey the overall daily status of pollution to the citizens.
6 These are based on analysis of the data available at the site: https://app.cpcbccr.com/ccr/#/caaqm-dashboard-all/caaqm-
landing/data Note: For 2020 the values are lower due to the impact of Covid restrictions and the fact that the data available are
till monsoon season only. The values are likely to increase for full year.
7 https://www.hindustantimes.com/gurugram/mcg-working-on-action-plan-for-14-most-polluted-areas-in-the-city/story-
w63bEwEFlqnES4mCxsX9kK.html

4 | Air pollution in Gurugram

Figure 2 PM2.5 Concentration (in µg/m3) at different Figure 3 PM10 Concentration (in µg/ m3) at different
monitoring stations in Gurugram monitoring stations in Gurugram

PM2.5 Level in Gurugram (in µg/m^3)

180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
2016 2017 2018 2019

Vikas Sadan Gwal Pahari Standard

Figure 4 PM2.5 Concentration (in ug/m3) in Gurugram8

8 Data unavailable for other 2 locations and years

Air Quality | 5
 Health Impacts
Exposure to high levels of air pollution can have adverse impact on the health of the
citizens. It increases the risk of stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections. The impact varies with nature and
concentration of pollutants, exposure, health and age of the receptor.
It increases Air pollution also causes several mental health complications such as impairment of
the risk of cognitive abilities9, increased risk of Dementia and adverse effect on the development of
stroke, heart infants’ brain10.
disease, In addition, a recent study by Harvard University found that patterns in Covid-19 death
chronic rates generally mimic patterns in both high population density and high PM2.5 exposure
obstructive areas. An increase of 1 μg/ m3 in PM2.5 is associated with an 8% increase in the COVID-19
pulmonary death rate11.
disease,
lung cancer
The AQLI report by University of Chicago’s Energy Policy Institute in 2020 found that
and acute
exposure to PM2.5 — the most prominent pollutant in the city air — is potentially reducing
respiratory
the lifespan of the average citizen in Gurugram by 8.8 years compared to 5.2 years as
infections
national average. Therefore, if PM2.5 was brought to a level under 10 μg/ m3 prescribed
as WHO Guideline, the citizens could then potentially add 8.8 years to their lives. The
report, titled ‘Air Quality Life Index’ also found that the average annual level of PM2.5 in
the city increased by 41μg/ m3 between 1998 and 2016, which experts said is alarming
compared to the national average rise of 22.1μg/ m3 recorded during the same period.

9 Zhang, Xin & Chen, Xi & Zhang, Xiaobo. (2018). The impact of exposure to air pollution on cognitive performance.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 115. 201809474. 10.1073/pnas.1809474115.
10 https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/babies-breathe-toxic-air-south-asia
11 https://projects.iq.harvard.edu/covid-pm

6 | Air pollution in Gurugram

 Contains fine particles, secondary
aerosols, combustion particles, Can be inhaled through respiration by
re-condensed organic metallic vapour, human body; Cross into the arteries,
PM2.5 and acid components hardening them; Exposure results in
Can reach all the way down to the coronary heart ailments
alveoli in the lungs
Depending on their size, coarse
particles can lodge in the trachea
The dust from roads and industries,
(upper throat) or in the bronchi and
PM10 as well as particles formed during
typically contribute to allergic reactions
combustion
and respiratory diseases, as well as
impact general wellbeing12

Comparison of PM2.5 and PM10

Figure 5 Comparison of PM2.5 and PM10

12 Source: Fixing Delhi’s Pollution, Indicus Foundation, version: November 15, 2017

Health Impacts | 7
Air Pollution Sources
The typical sources of air pollution involve emissions from vehicles, industries, thermal
power plants, DG sets, residential sources, among others. In Gurugram, other sources
contributing to air pollution are the construction activities, road dust, waste combustion,
and seasonal stubble burning. Increasing dust from the Thar desert due to ongoing
destruction of Aravalli range is also a concern.
Vehicles: The limited public transport options in Gurugram result in high vehicle
ownership and pollution. The city has one of the highest vehicle ownership rates in the
country – i.e. 323 cars per 1,000 people, which is higher than in Delhi (88 cars per 1000
people). In Gurugram, 43 per cent of the households own two-wheelers and 33 per cent
own cars. Bus numbers have not increased appreciably in the city and are 50 per cent
less than the service level benchmark of 60 buses per lakh population (it was 31 per lakh
in 2014-15)13.
Diesel generator sets: Haryana government authorities estimate that, at present, more
than 14,000 diesel generator sets are running in Gurugram (2019). Besides shopping
malls, markets and offices, thousands of residential apartments run on diesel generators
as well. A study by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) in 2018 reported that the
use of diesel generator sets increases the level of PM2.5 and PM10 in Gurugram by 30
percent.
Though Gurugram lacks a dedicated source apportionment study to determine the exact
levels of pollution caused by various sources, some studies covering the entire NCR
region have estimated the sectoral shares in pollution at various town in NCR, including
Gurugram. The ARAI and TERI report (August, 2018) estimated the sectoral shares in
PM2.5 and PM pollution during summer and winter season based on dispersion and
receptor modelling techniques. The major sources considered were vehicles, dust (road,
and construction, and soil dust), industries, biomass, and others (DG sets, refuse burning,
landfills, etc).

13 Anumita Roychowdhury and Shubhra Puri 2017, Gurugram: A framework for sustainable development, Centre for Science and
Environment, New Delhi
 PM10 Summer PM10 Winters PM10 Summer PM10 Winters
(Dispersion Modelling) (Dispersion Modelling) (Receptor Modelling) (Receptor Modelling)

8% 14% 7% 6%
19% 7% 23%
13% 23%
26% 24%
13% 26% 30%
30% 32%
52% 14% 19%
14%

PM2.5 Summer PM2.5 Winters PM2.5 Summer PM2.5 Winters

(Dispersion Modelling) (Dispersion Modelling) (Dispersion Modelling) (Receptor Modelling)

8% 16% 8% 10% 15%

13% 27% 26% 26%
30% 19%
17%
14%
15%
49% 20% 16% 29%
15% 27%

Legends:

Vehicles Dust Biomass Industries Others

Figure 6 Sectoral Share estimated by Dispersion Modelling and Receptor Modelling. Source: ARAI and TERI
(August 2018) Report No. ARAI/16-17/DHI-SA-NCR/Final Report.

The above study indicates that the contribution of transport sector to PM2.5 and PM10
pollution is in the range of 16-27% and 14-23%, respectively; while that of the industry
sector is 13-30% and 13-26%, respectively. However, the contribution of dust to PM2.5 and
PM10 pollution is higher and it is in the range of 20-49% and 23-52%, respectively. The
remaining contribution comes from residential and other sources. This clearly indicates
the need to have a multi-sectoral approach in order to address air pollution in Gurugram.

Air Pollution Sources | 9

 Impact of Lockdown on Gurugram Air Quality
A report released by CPCB 14 studied the impact of lockdown on ambient air quality
in Delhi and NCR towns. During the lockdown, based on the Air Quality Index data, the
overall air quality had improved in Gurugram, which is proven by the fact that there were
no severe, very poor or poor air quality days in the period.
NO2 and SO2 levels remained below the National Ambient Air Quality standards (NAAQS)
on all days during the lockdown, while PM2.5 and PM10 levels were within NAAQS on 38
and 29 days in the 40-day lockdown period. The reduction in PM10 levels are higher as
compared to PM2.5 levels, when compared against the respective pre-lockdown value.
The study also points out that it is likely that road dust resuspension due to vehicle
restrictions might have come down resulting in lower particulate emissions with 39%
and 41% reduction in 24 hourly PM2.5 and PM10 levels during lockdown Phase-I but was
only 26% and 34% for 24 hourly PM2.5 and PM10 respectively in lockdown phase-II. The
reduced impact, in all likelihood, may be due to the onset of dry and windy conditions. 24
hourly NO2 levels reduced by 45% during both phases of lockdown, as compared to pre-
lockdown levels. While SO2 levels increased in the first phase by 34%, it decreased by 21%
during the second phase of lockdown, as compared to pre-lockdown levels.
According to the report, a 61% reduction in PM10 levels was observed during the first
phase of lockdown in Gurugram as compared to 2019 levels due to likely decrease in dust
generating activities. Likewise, the second phase of the lockdown too showed an over
60% decrease in PM10 levels compared to 2019 levels. However, the NO2 levels increased
during phase –I of lockdown and decreased only by 20% during the second phase of
lockdown compared to levels during same period in 2019. Gurugram also showed an
increase in SO2 levels, which the report attributes to the proximity of thermal power
plants. It may also be noted that the monitoring network has increased from 2 stations in
2019 to 4 stations in 2020, leading to better spatial coverage.

14 A Report on impact of lockdown on ambient air quality, CPCB, September 2020

10 | Air pollution in Gurugram

Air Pollution and Climate Change
The main sources of CO2 emissions – the extraction and burning of fossil fuels – are not
only key drivers of climate change, but also major sources of air pollutants. Furthermore,
many air pollutants that are harmful to human health and ecosystems also contribute to
climate change by affecting the amount of incoming sunlight that is reflected or absorbed
by the atmosphere, with some pollutants warming and others cooling the Earth. These
so-called short-lived climate-forcing pollutants (SLCPs) include black carbon, methane,
ground-level ozone, and sulfate aerosols. They have significant impacts on the climate;
black carbon and methane in particular are among the top contributors to global warming
after CO2.
Climate change is set to increase the amount of ground-level ozone and fine particle
pollution we breathe. Less rain and more heat means this pollution will stay in the air for
longer, creating more health problems.
Climate change and air pollution tend to be addressed independently; the former focusing
on reductions in CO2 within the international and national arena and the latter focusing on
actions to improve air quality locally. Yet, developing integrated strategies that target both
of these issues could have benefits for human health, ecosystems and the climate, while
reducing associated administrative and implementation costs.
Moreover, it may also be noted that people engage more with issues that affect their local
environment and their personal health. Air pollution affects all sections of society, which
can generate the political will to address air pollution with the added benefit of mitigating
climate change.

Air Pollution and Climate Change | 11

 Actions to Control Air Pollution
Gurugram, being a part of the NCR region, is covered under various action plans and
regulations notified by the Central and State government. These help in the rollout
of the broader macro initiatives across various sectors in terms of the technology
improvements, cleaner fuel options, as well as banning of certain polluting activities.
In addition, the local authorities such as the Municipal Corporation, Traffic Department,
Pollution Control Board have a significant role in terms of prevention and control of
pollution at the city level.
Some of the action plans/programs that help in addressing air pollution are as follows:
• NCAP (National Clean Air Program): Launched by MoEFCC as pan India time
bound strategy to tackle pollution with National level target of 20-30% reduction of
PM2.5 and PM10 concentration by 2024, compared to 2017 levels. The objective is to
develop comprehensive management plan for prevention, control and abatement of
air pollution in addition to augmenting air quality monitoring network. Under NCAP,
city specific air pollution abatement action plan for non- attainment cities will be
developed, however Gurugram is not part of this list.
• The Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) has been notified in 201715 for emergency
action during high pollution periods. It enlists measures such as prohibition on entry of
trucks into Delhi, ban on construction activities, introduction of odd and even scheme
for private vehicles, shutting of schools, closure of brick kilns, hot mix plants and stone
crushers, ban on diesel generator sets, garbage burning in landfills and plying of visibly
polluting vehicles etc. The nature, scope and rigour of measures to be taken is linked
to levels of pollution viz. severe + or emergency, severe, very poor, moderate to poor
and moderate, after due consideration by authorities concerned.
• The Central Government had entrusted the task of implementation of GRAP in the NCR
region to the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA). EPCA
was a supreme court mandated body notified in 1998 with the objective of ‘protecting
and improving’ the quality of the environment and ‘controlling environmental pollution’
in the National Capital Region. EPCA worked on Comprehensive Action Plan (CAP)
which lists medium and long-term actions for all pollution sources for Delhi and NCR.
Under a recent ordinance released by the Central government, a Commission for Air
Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining areas has been set
up. The commission has replaced EPCA and other executive panels to streamline

15 http://cpcbenvis.nic.in/pdf/final_graded_table.pdf

12 | Air pollution in Gurugram

 public participation, inter-state co-operation, expert involvement and persistent research
and innovation. It has members from all NCR states, the Central Pollution Control Board;
Indian Space Research Organisation, NITI Aayog, and NGOs. The commission has powers
to take decisions and act against pollution sources under various environmental laws, like
the environment protection act and air act.
• Ban on Pet-coke and Furnace Oil: The Supreme Court banned the use of Petroleum Coke
(pet coke) and Furnace Oil (FO) for combustion in 2017 in Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and
Uttar Pradesh.
• Standards for NOx and SOx: Supreme Court directed the Ministry of Environment, Forest
and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) on May
2, 2017 to fix and implement national SOx and NOx emission standards for 34 industries
by December 31, 2017. However, stringent implementation and enforcement of these
standards using continuous emission monitoring systems (CEMS) are lacking.16
• Gurugram has signed up for Centre’s Cycles4Change Challenge. The India Cycles4Change
Challenge is an initiative of the Smart Cities Mission, Ministry of Housing and Urban
Affairs, Government of India to inspire and support Indian cities to quickly implement
cycling-friendly initiatives in response to COVID-19. The Challenge aims to help cities
connect with their citizens as well as experts to develop a unified vision and initiatives to
promote cycling.
• To deal with the problem of pollution a sum of 1200 crore is provided in budget over
two years (2018-2020) by the central government for action on crop residue burning
in identified 113 districts in Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. The policy promises
to minimise the practice of crop burning with an aim to end it permanently. Under the
scheme, the government will provide a subsidy on the purchase of different types of
farming machines. Two control rooms will be set up by the state government in Gurugram
and Faridabad districts for controlling air pollution in winter 17. The citizens will be able to
contact them directly for problems and complaints related to increasing pollution levels.
• Recently in October 2020, the district administration of Gurugram has prepared an action
plan to combat air pollution. All the concerned departments and agencies have been
directed to keep a tab on violations. Municipal Corporation Gurugram (MCG) and Haryana
State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) offices will form separate teams for checking to
implement the action plan, with special attention to waste burning and identified hotspots
of air pollution.

16 AIR POLLUTION REPORT CARD 2018, EPCA, CSE

17 https://swachhindia.ndtv.com/gurugram-faridabad-to-have-pollution-control-rooms-functioning-round-the-clock-51749/

Actions to Control Air Pollution | 13

 Combating Air Pollution – Action by Different Stakeholders
Government agencies:
• Implementation of a city specific time bound action plan to control air pollution.
Appropriate scientific inputs including source apportionment studies should feed
into the plan. Accordingly, commissioning of source apportionment study for better
identification of the sources of air pollution and planning of mitigation actions should
be undertaken. The roles anwwfd responsibilities of different agencies should be
clearly delineated and adequate resource allocation provisions made. Further, based
on an air shed approach, while the local sources in Gurugram certainly need to be
addressed on a priority basis, simultaneously, an action plan to tackle the regional
sources needs to be devised in cooperation with the neighbouring states.18
• Data monitoring and dissemination: Increase number of monitoring stations for more
reliable data for policymaking. Its timely availability and dissemination to citizens must
be ensured
• Introduction of advanced emissions standards in industries, including focus on
ensuring monitoring and compliance.
• Ensure improved power reliability in urban areas to eliminate the operation of DG sets.
Evolve standards and norms for in-use DG sets. Use of retrofitted emission-control
equipment and promoting shift to gas based generators.
• While BS-VI emission norms have been rolled out for new vehicles from April 2020
onwards, stringent inspection and maintenance programs, including PUC checks
should be undertaken for the existing fleet of vehicles. Special focus on regulation of
light- and heavy-duty diesel vehicles and ensuring strict action against visibly polluting
vehicles. Introduction of a scrapping policy and ensuring fleet modernisation would
also be helpful.
• Strengthening of public transport network, promotion of shared mobility and boosting
last-mile connectivity. Also, introduction of an e-vehicle policy to promote faster
adoption of battery operated electric vehicles and strengthening of the charging
infrastructure needs to be undertaken.
• Introduction of early alarm system related to traffic congestion on major routes for
route diversion for the benefit of commuters.

18 Breathe India: An action plan for combating air pollution, NITI Aayog, 2018

14 | Air pollution in Gurugram

• Encouraging flexi/staggered timings to minimize peak movement of vehicles on the
road. Introduction of low and zero emission zones with congestion charges.
• Urban planning and design to be centered around public transport and non-motorised
transport (footpaths/cycle tracks)
• Stringent implementation of Construction and Demolition (C&D) Rules, 2016, and Dust
Mitigation Notification, 2018, of the Government of India.
• Proper maintenance of roads and greening of roadside areas and open spaces, while
mandating wall-to-wall paving of roads. Emphasis on mechanised sweeping machines
for regular cleaning of roads to reduce dust and, creation of green buffers along the
traffic corridors.
• Stringent control of dust from construction activities using enclosures, dust screens,
fogging machines, water spraying, etc.
• Management of agricultural residues, including strict enforcement of bans on open
burning.

Industry/ Corporates:
• Introduction of state-of-the-art air pollution control measures and promoting switch to
cleaner technology and clean fuels such as CNG, where possible.19
• Reduce emissions by making changes to manufacturing processes and heating/
cooling equipments. Reducing vehicle miles travelled, purchasing environmental friendly
supplies, and improving energy efficiency can also prove to be effective in emission
reduction.
• Promotion of car-pooling options to reduce the use of individual vehicles. Adoption of
electric-car fleets for transportation.
• Encourage behavioural change in employees by educating them regarding air pollution
and mitigation actions that they can undertake to address the challenges.
• Enhanced adoption of renewable energy (rooftop solar, biogas, etc) and energy efficiency
measures. Also, procurement of renewable energy should be encouraged.
• Adopting cleaner construction practices.
• Support the scaling up of new and innovative technologies for addressing air pollution
and climate change.

19 UNEP (2018). Air Pollution in Asia and the Pacific: Science-based Solutions

CombatingAirPollution–ActionbyDifferentStakeholders|15
 • Help in the monitoring and sharing of air quality data with the citizens in their
respective areas, besides being an important stakeholder in the implementation of the
city specific AQM plan.
• Build coalitions and partnerships between corporates to take joint action in addition to
individual measures.

Citizens/RWAs:
• Shift from private passenger vehicles to public transport. Explore options for shared
mobility (car polling) and non-motorised transport such as walking and cycling.
• Ensure proper vehicle maintenance and timely PUC checks. Avoid prolong idling and
turning off engines at red traffic signals. In addition to above, minimise travel during
severe or very poor AQI.
• Adopt renewable energy such as rooftop solar, use energy efficient appliances and
avoid wastage of energy.
• Adopt electric vehicles.
• Segregate waste for proper management to reduce burning.
• Promote tree plantation and greening of open areas.
• Build public pressure on authorities to implement a time bound action plan for control
of pollution.

The Way Forward

Moving forward, a multi-pronged strategy along with a time bound action plan is required,
covering a range of interventions – both short and long term. Multiple aspects - related to
policy/regulations/ technological interventions/capacity building /and awareness raising
– have to be covered. The success would depend on the timely implementation of the
action plan – that encompasses contributions from multiple stakeholders; everyone has
to chip in with their contributions. Finally, the air quality management plan for the city has
to be dynamic and account for the changing profile of the city over the years.

16 | Air pollution in Gurugram

 AIR POLLUTION IN GURUGRAM | CAUSES, EFFECTS AND SOLUTIONS November 2020
IND

Aviral Yadav Sakshi Gaur TS Panwar

Programme Officer - Climate Change and Energy Programme | WWF-India Assistant Manager- Communications, Director - Climate Change and Energy Programme | WWF-India
Email: [email protected] Climate Change and Energy Programme | WWF-India Email: [email protected]
Email: [email protected]

172 B, Pirojsha Godrej Building, Lodhi Estate, Lodhi Road, New Delhi, Delhi 110003 The Way Forward | 17