Pollution board marks out hotspots in Gzb, GB Nagar
BEFORE WINTER Spots include snarl points, road stretches, construction spots
GHAZIABAD: The Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) has identified a number of locations in Ghaziabad and Gautam Budh Nagar as pollution hotspots, including traffic congestion points, poor stretches of road, and construction spots. Officials said the respective land-owning agencies have been asked to take action in order to help abate air pollution before the onset of winter.
Officials said 15 major traffic congestion points in Ghaziabad and eight in Gautam Budh Nagar have been identified. The department also identified seven damaged stretches of road in Ghaziabad and four in Gautam Budh Nagar. In each of the cities, four spots where identified where enforcement against construction activities, flouting National Green Tribunal (NGT) directions, needs to be taken up.
“Land-owning agencies in the districts have been asked to undertake road repair and employ mechanised road-sweeping and water sprinkling,” said Utsav Sharma, regional manager, UPPCB.
Air pollution has reached severe levels in Noida and Ghaziabad over the past two years during the winters, with air quality index (AQI) values crossing the 400 mark routinely.
An AQI value between zero and 50 is considered “good”, 51 and 100 “satisfactory”, 101 and 200 “moderate”, 201 and 300 “poor”, 301 and 400 “very poor”, and 401 and 500 “severe.”
“The areas witness severe air pollution between October and February. Even agencies like the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) do not have roadsweeping machines. The air pollution scenario in the National Capital Region is such that pollution abatement activities need to be taken up throughout the year,” said Akash Vashistha, a city based environmentalist.
According to UPPCB data, Ghaziabad city witnessed an improvement in air quality in first seven months of 2019, as compared to 2018.
“This year, we have given directions for green-paving of roadside areas like CISF Road, Indirapuram, Raj Nagar Extension main road and other major roads in GDA housing schemes which are yet to be handed over to the corporation. We will also buy one mechanised road-sweeping machine for our schemes and an open tender for the same has been floated,” said Kanchan Verma, vice chairperson, GDA.
She added that guards have also been ordered to be posted around the clock at the solid waste dumping site at Indirapuram.
“This is to check any garbageburning at the site. Further, I have also asked officials to rope in water tankers at the site to make the garbage dumps wet, so that they do not catch fire. Road repair work will also be taken up soon,” she added.