It is time to launch "Clean Air For All" movement a participative mission, said Union Minister for Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav on Saturday. The Minister said that the efforts to improve air quality have shown positive trends in achievement of better air in cities across the country. "But if we wish to achieve what we aspire for, a 'Jan Bhagidari' or participative governance holds the key," he said. Yadav was inaugurating the sensitisation-cum-review workshop - National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) and XV-FC Million Plus Cities Challenge Fund (XV-FC MPCCF) of southern region comprising Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Telangana, Kerala, Andaman & Nicobar, Lakshadweep, Pondicherry, and Daman and Diu, and Dadar and Nagar Haveli in Chennai on Saturday. Speaking on the occasion, Yadav appreciated Tamil Nadu mentioning that Chennai, Madurai, and Trichy, the 3 million plus cities' air quality is within the National Ambient Air Quality Standards.
He also lauded Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board for the initiative of e-commute programme, under which all the officials of the board commute to office every Wednesday through non-fossil fuel-driven vehicles. "India's step to BS-VI standard and the adoption of its norms for fuel and vehicles is a landmark policy decision towards combating air pollution," Yadav said. "Under NCAP, 132 non-attainment cities have been identified across the country based on the air quality data from 2014-2018. The list is a heterogeneous mix of cities of all sizes and types; and in southern India, we have 13 such cities from Andhra Pradesh and 4 each from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Telangana, he added. He also reiterated the Prime Minister's commitment to ensure clean air to all by improving the air quality in about 100 cities through holistic approach. He also appealed to the young population to become active agents in the mission to improve air quality by adopting sustainable lifestyles, and appropriate behaviours and attitudes.