The document summarizes the significance of revisions to India's National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) over time. It discusses how the standards were first established in 1982 and have since been revised in 1994 and 2009 to expand the number of air pollutants monitored and lower permissible limits. The revisions were informed by growing evidence of adverse health impacts from air pollution as well as changes in pollution sources as India industrialized rapidly. The document outlines the key government initiatives that established air quality monitoring and standards in India and how the country's standards continue to align with World Health Organization air quality guidelines.

1. 1
SIGNIFICANCE OF PROGRESSIVE REVISIONS
OF
NATIONAL AMBIENT AIR QUALITY
STANDARDS (NAAQS) IN INDIA
Vinod Kumar
Environmental Monitoring Division,
Indian Institute of Toxicology Research,
LUCKNOW-226 001
Email:vinod.kothiya88@gmail.com
CSIR-IITR

2. Environment
Physical Biological Social/Cultural
Lithosphere Floral Physical
Hydrosphere Faunal Social
Atmosphere Economic
protective blanket
Maintains heat balance
Gives O2 for life & CO2 for photosynthesis
2

3. Composition of Clean and Dry Air
Nitrogen 78.09 %
Oxygen 20.94 %
Carbon dioxide 0.03 %
Helium 0.005 %
Oxides of Nitrogen 0.001 ppm
Sulphur dioxide 0.0002 ppm
Carbon monoxide 0.1 ppm
A chemical species foreign to the composition of
the clean atmosphere is called a ‘contaminant’.
3

4. The presence in outdoor atmosphere, of one or more
contaminants such as
fumes, dust, gases, mist, grit, odor, smoke, smog or
vapors in considerable quantities and of duration
which is injurious to human, animal or plant life.
Sources of Pollution
Air Pollution
4
Natural Sources
Volcanic Eruptions
Forest Fires
Natural Decays
Marsh Gases
Cosmic Dusts
Soil Debris
Pollen Grains
Fungal Spores
Manmade Sources
Vehicular Emission
Deforestation
Burning of Fossil Fuels
Industrialization
Agricultural Activities
Wars

5. Impacts of
Acid Rain Smog
5

6. 6

7. Health Effects
• aggravated asthma
• coughing
• difficult or painful
breathing
• chronic bronchitis
• decreased lung
function
• Cardiac function
impairment
• premature death
7

8. 8
First Air Pollution Study in India
Carried out by NEERI, Nagpur (1967 to 1989)
Pollutants: Dust-fall, Sulphation rate, SO2, NOX and
Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM),
Findings:
SPM : Identified as major Pollutant (>300 µg/m3)
SO2 : 40-60 till 1980 reduced to 20 µg/m3 till 1986
NOx : 9-23 µg/m3 reported during 1988-89
Conclusion of NEERI Study:
SO2 and NOx levels were not of significant
concern, and SPM levels were very High

9. 9
Initiatives taken by Govt. of India
1. Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), was
constituted in September, 1974 under the Water
(Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.
2. Further, CPCB was entrusted with the powers and
functions under the Air (Prevention and Control of
Pollution) Act, 1981.
3. The CPCB had adopted first AAQS on November
11, 1982 as per section 16 (2) of the Air (Prevention
and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.
Parameters of first AAQS on November 11, 1982
SO2, NO2, SPM, Respirable Particulate Matter
(<10µm), Pb & CO (criteria pollutants)
Area classification based on land use and other factors
residential and rural, industrial and sensitive categories

10. 10
Initiatives taken by Govt. of India
1. The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 was
implemented to formulate environmental policies
and to act as an umbrella legislation.
2. CPCB initiated the National Ambient Air Quality
Monitoring (NAAQM) program in the year 1984 with
seven stations.
3. Subsequently, the program was renamed as National
Air Monitoring Programme (NAMP). The number of
monitoring stations under the NAMP has
increased, steadily, to 295 by 2000-2001 covering 99
cities/towns in 28 States and 4 Union Territories.

11. 11
1. Air Pollutants Monitored Under NAMP: SO2, NO2, SPM
and PM10 and additional parameters (in 7 metro
cities); Pb and other toxic trace metals, H2S, NH3 &
PAHs.
2. Further the air quality standard was revised by CPCB
in 1994 by including ammonia.
3. Fast developmental activities during last two decades
resulted in the generation of many chemical air
pollutants. The review of the previous NAAQS was
undertaken by the CPCB and IIT, Kanpur. The revised
NAAQS-2009 released on 16.11.2009.
Initiatives taken by Govt. of India

12. • WHO first came up with air quality guidelines in
1987 ( , , , )
• Which were updated in 1996 (
• And subsequently revised in 2000 ( )
These were known as Air Quality Guidelines for Europe.
• There after WHO issued guidelines in 2005 on air
quality ( ).
12
International Scenario

13. NATIONAL AMBIENT AIR QUALITY STANDARDS (2009)
12 PARAMETERS
1. Sulphur Dioxide (SO2)
2. Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)
3. Particulate Matter (Size less than 10 μm) or PM10
4. Particulate Matter (Size less than 2.5 μm) or PM2.5
5. Ozone (O3)
6. Lead (Pb)
7. Carbon Monoxide (CO)
8. Ammonia (NH3)
9. Benzene (C6H6)
10. Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) Particulate phase only
11. Arsenic (As)
12. Nickel (Ni)
13

14. NATIONAL AMBIENT AIR QUALITY STANDARDS (2009)
Pollutants
(μg/m3)
Time
Weighted
Average
Concentration in Ambient Air
Industrial, Residential,
Rural and other Areas
Ecologically Sensitive
Area (Notified by GOI)
Sulphur
Dioxide (SO2)
Annual *
24 Hours **
50
80
20
80
Nitrogen
Dioxide (NO2)
Annual *
24 Hours **
40
80
30
80
Particulate
Matter, Size
less than 10
μm (PM10)
Annual *
24 Hours **
60
100
60
100
Particulate
Matter, Size
less than
2.5μm (PM2.5)
Annual *
24 Hours **
40
60
40
60
Ozone (O3) 8 Hours *
1 Hour **
100
180
100
180
14

15. Pollutants Time
Weighted
Average
Concentration in Ambient Air
Industrial,
Residential,
Rural and other
Areas
Ecologically
Sensitive Area
(Notified by
Central Government)
Lead (Pb)
μg/m3
Annual *
24 Hours
**
0.50
1.0
0.50
1.0
Carbon
Monoxide
(CO) mg/m3
Annual *
24 Hours
**
02
04
02
04
Ammonia
(NH3)
μg/m3
Annual *
24 Hours
**
100
400
100
400
Benzene
(C6H6),
μg/m3
Annual * 05 05
15
NAAQS-2009

16. Pollutants
ng/m3
Time
Weighted
Average
Concentration in Ambient Air
Industrial,
Residential,
Rural and other
Areas
Ecologically
Sensitive Area
(Notified by GOI)
Benzo(a)Pyrene
(BaP)
Annual * 01 01
Arsenic (As) Annual * 06 06
Nickel (Ni) Annual * 20 20
*Annual Arithmetic mean of minimum 104 measurements in a
year at a particular site taken twice a week 24 hourly at
uniform intervals.
** 24 hourly or 8 hourly or 1 hourly monitored values, as
applicable, shall be complied with 98% of the time in a year.
2% of the time, they may exceed the limits but not on two
consecutive days of monitoring. 16
NAAQS-2009

17. Thanks
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