MCG to setup fountains to curb air pollution

GURUGRAM: In order to curb the deadly air pollution in Gurugram, the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) has planned to set up fountains along busy traffic intersections.

With dust and vehicular pollution being the leading causes of pollution, the officials at MCG observed that the moistness caused by fountains will prevent the poisonous particles from being suspended in the air.

Besides preventing the pollution, the project when implemented will beautify the city and also enhance its green cover.

Discussions about the project have started with a private company in Jaipur.

There will also be a feasibility study that will be carried out by MCG where the officials will study about how many fountains will be required in each area and the land allocated to it.

This comes at a time when air pollution levels in Gurugram have even surpassed that of Delhi that has earned the tag of not only the most polluted city in the country but also the world.

At present, there is also no concrete mechanism introduced by the Government agencies to tackle rising levels of air pollution in the city.

Large scale construction activities, depleting green cover and increase in a number of vehicles and open burning of garbage have resulted in alarming pollution levels in the city even now.

Moreover, even after complaints most of the construction areas possessing of construction materials and dust particles have not been covered.

Shortage of vacuum trucks in the city has resulted in dust being wiped off through broom, a process which has to be proved to be counter- productive from the city roads.

“There have been various short term plans that have been adopted by the public agencies in the past to curb the air pollutions. However, as it has all been short-term measures they have not succeeded.

"There is a need for longterm planning that will require coordination of public agencies as well as citizens,” said Chetan Aggarwal, a city-based environmentalist.

GURUGRAM: 40 out of 75 water samples that were collected by the District Health Department failed the quality test, confirmed officials. The rest of the samples have also not passed and have been marked as suspect. The samples were collected last week. The water samples were collected from densely populated areas of Sukhrali, Sikanderpur, Khandsa, Farukhnagar Civil Lines and Dundahera.

After the results, public agencies like Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) and Municipal Corporation of Gurugram have been directed to improve the quality of drinking water.

In 2016, District health department had observed that the water supplied to 174 areas in the city was unfit for drinking. The main reason was that the water did not have the sufficient amount of chlorine.

The recent report comes at a time when the city is reeling under the effects of waterborne diseases like Diarrhea, Typhoid, and Viral Gastroenteritis. On an average, there are over 200 cases of Diahorrea that are being reported daily in the Government hospital in the city. “We decided to collect the water samples after we observed a large number of patients suffering from waterborne diseases. Our tests have revealed that the water supplied is unfit to drink. We have directed the public officials to immediately take the remedial steps,” said Dr. Ram Prakash Rai Epidemic in charge at Civil Hospital.

“There are likely chances that if a patient is showing the symptoms of vomiting, mild fever, body pain and blood in stools, he may be affected by microbial infections. In severe cases a patient can also die due to dehydration and low blood pressure,” said Dr. Sarath Gopalan, a city gastroenterologist.

There will also be a feasibility study that will be carried out by MCG where the officials will study about how many fountains will be required in each area and the land allocated to it