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Air Pollution Control India Climate Environmental Management

India Ambient Air Quality

According to the World Health Organization Global Ambient Air Quality Database, India has nine of the world’s ten worst polluted cities.  In January 2019, the Government of India (GoI) launched the National Clean Air Program (NCAP) calling for improving air quality monitoring infrastructure by blending manual, continuous, sensor based and satellite based techniques.  Indian commercial, industrial and residential sectors also offer good market potential for environmental and emission monitors, gas analysers, sensors and digital solutions.

NCAP is a national strategy with the primary goal of a 20 to 30 percent reduction in the concentration of particulate matter (PM 2.5 and PM 10), with 2017 levels as a base, by 2022 in 122 non-attainment cities.  Cities failing to meet national ambient air quality standards of 60 micrograms of PM 10 per cubic meter and 40 micrograms of PM 2.5 per cubic meter are referred as non-attainment cities.   

The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) leads this program with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) at the national level.  State Pollution Control Boards (SPCB) are responsible for the design and implementation of city specific plans.  A dashboard launched by Carbon Copy, a media platform that states that approximately $13 million of NCAP’s budget is set aside for improving monitoring coverage as a first crucial step in combating air pollution.  The CPCB establishes the guidelines for setting up and monitoring pollutants, frequency, location, duration of sampling and other parameters.  The National Air Monitoring Program (NAMP) has identified four air pollutants: sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), suspended particulate matter (PM10) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) for regular monitoring at all existing stations.  In addition, ammonia (NH3), carbon monoxide (CO), ozone (O3), nitrogen oxide (NOx) and benzene are other pollutants measured at existing real time monitoring stations.

Opportunities related to Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS):
In addition to NCAP CAAQMS opportunities, the CPCB plans to issue tenders for the installation of 60 CAAQMS across 23 states over the next two years.  The National Power Thermal Corporation (NTPC) has also pledged $12 million funding support for 25 CAAQMS in six states and three union territories. State Pollution Control Boards have invited or are in the process of inviting tenders, for the set-up, installation, operation and maintenance of CAAQMS.

U.S. firms offering USEPA certified solutions are well positioned to qualify for tenders since most of the tenders, in absence of an Indian system, require USEPA, TUV or MCERTS certifications of environmental monitoring equipment.  U.S. firms without a local presence in India are encouraged to consider local partnerships to fulfill operations and maintenance aspects as required in the tenders.  These requirements may vary from state to state.

U. S. companies offering technically superior environmental monitors, sensors, gas analyzers, samplers and data driven software solutions can review NCAP-related business opportunities in the National Clean Air Programme. 

  • Increased installation of manual stations from 703 to 1500
  • Setting up at least 1000 low-cost sensors with at least 10 in each cities
  • Widening satellite based monitoring of gaseous air pollutants
  • Developing alternative low cost technologies for mobile monitoring network
  • Expansion of PM 2.5 monitoring

Local municipal bodies, research entities, think tanks and non-government organizations are also pushing for expanding the countrywide network of stationary and mobile monitoring stations.

The private sector also offers noteworthy opportunities as a growing number of industrial plants are considering the installation of ambient air monitors along with CPCB mandated Continuous Emission Monitoring Systems (CEMS).  The new age real estate developers and resort owners in India are also looking to lure customers with better air quality displayed on their air monitors and sensors.

The tendering process for public sector opportunities are slow, bureaucratic and often focused on lowest cost procurement. The MoEFCC’s recent designation of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-National Physical Laboratory (CSIR-NPL) as a national agency responsible for certification of ambient air and emission monitoring instruments will help CPCB achieve its objective of developing home grown, low-cost alternative technologies.  As a result, local competition is prevalent in the price sensitive and value conscious Indian market.

CS India monitors the progress of tenders and other private sector developments and can also assist you in finding local partners. Interested U.S. firms are encouraged to contact Jigna.mehta@trade.gov for assistance.