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Based on two days’ deliberations from various speakers and participants, the
following recommendations have emerged: -
I. Air
Pollution and Health Effects
1. Environmental
health risk assessment studies due to air pollution are required to be
undertaken in the polluted areas to establish the baseline data on health
impacts/risks in different parts of India
taking into account the studies undertaken earlier by different
organizations. Possibilities to find out the manifestations of various
diseases attributable to air pollution may be explored. In particular, the
human settlements including children and elderly persons living close to
industrial complexes, metropolitan cities and taxi/bus drivers, traffic
policemen, road side vendors, shopkeepers etc. are required to be covered
under environmental health assessment studies. Such studies would assist in
establishing the disease burden in different areas in the country.
Studies to develop bio-markers may also be taken up. Toxico-genomics
Studies are also required to be taken up.
2. As
Total Suspended Particulate Matter (TSPM)/ Respirable Particulate Matter
(RSPM) levels are generally exceeding in most of the cities/towns in India
including the metropolitan and large cities, it would be desirable to
investigate the health impacts due to particulates and gaseous pollutants so
as to control the emissions from various sources e.g. industries,
automobiles, open burning of garbage, leaves, plastic, rubber materials
etc. Loose soil accumulated on road sides becomes air borne and gets
re-suspended and should also be controlled and the concerned organisations
should take suitable measures in this regard.
3. Stricter
emission norms for particulates and gaseous pollutants (e.g. limit for lead,
mercury, benzene, poly aeromated hydrocarbon (PAH)) based on health impacts
are required for which Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF)/Central
Pollution Control Board (CPCB/ State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) may
review the existing standards and notify the revised standards for control of
emissions of particulates and gaseous pollutants from different industries
and power plants. Ambient air quality standards are required to be
reviewed and revised based on health criteria.
4. Open
burning of garbage, leaves, plastic, rubber and other synthetic materials
should not be allowed and necessary legal and enforcement machinery may be
provided to check the menace.
5. Environmental
health impact studies due to noise, elecro-magnetic radiations may also to be
undertaken.
6. Strengthening
and modernization of air quality monitoring system specially covering PM10/PM2.5,
NOx, SOx, and CO is required to be undertaken. Periodic monitoring of
sulphates, nitrates, ground level ozone, POPs and other toxins are also
required to be undertaken. In addition, inventorisation and source
apportionment studies are also required to be undertaken in different areas having
air pollution problems.
7. Indoor
Air Pollution and Health Impact Studies should be undertaken specially
covering women and children including review of existing intervention
programme.
8. Clean
technologies are required to be adopted by Thermal Power Plants to check
gaseous and particulate emissions.
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