After addressing Rajya Sabha yesterday, the Environment Minister responded to the discussion on the air pollution crisis in Lok Sabha today. He listed several government initiatives to combat air pollution including swift completion of highways, subsidies for e-vehicles, ramp-up of metro coverage in India.
Earlier in the day, on the ban on single use plastic, the Minister acknowledged enforcement as an issue. He said that the government will work to ensure that waste management rules, including rules for electronic waste, construction and demolition are strictly followed.
Lok Sabha also introduced the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes (Production, Manufacture, Import, Export, Transport, Sale, Distribution, Storage and Advertisement) Bill, 2019. Following global concerns over their potential impact on individual and public health, India introduced the Bill today, replacing an Ordinance issued in September. India is among 30-odd countries to have banned e-cigarettes, including Brazil, Mexico and Thailand.
Over 98 other countries such as the UK, Canada and France regulate e-cigarettes, such as prohibiting sale to minors, prohibiting use in public places and regulating the amount of nicotine content. For regulatory comparison of e-cigarettes with a handful of countries, see our table below:
In Rajya Sabha, no government bills were listed and only private member business was taken up.