Panel urges Gzb to take dust control measures
Ghaziabad is the second-most polluted city after Bhiwadi in Rajasthan as per a survey of 6,475 cities of the world under the World Air Quality Report-2021 by Swiss agency IQAIR
GHAZIABAD: Based on air quality and meteorological forecast, the sub-committee on Graded Response Action Plan (Grap) has directed different agencies to intensify dust control measures such as mechanised sweeping of roads that see heavy traffic, enforcement of dust mitigation measures at construction sites and construction and debris (C&D) sites, besides intensifying enforcement of emission norms in industrial units.
The directions by the subcommittee were issued on May 4, during a review meeting and it pushed for the implementation of Grap measures, which are generally carried out from October 15 to February 15 (during the winter season) in order to mitigate high pollution levels.
“The directions have been issued for the National Capital Region (NCR) and it is likely that strong winds will cause re-suspension of dust over the NCR, parts of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh. We have asked different agencies to implement the Grap measures at the earliest and mechanised road sweeping, sprinkling and other arrangements to mitigate
dust will also be taken up. The directions regarding enforcement of emission norms and regulation of dust at construction sites etc., will also be enforced,” said Utsav Sharma, a regional officer of UP Pollution Control Board (UPPCB).
Ghaziabad city is already listed among 16 non-attainment areas in UP, which suffer from high levels of pollution. Last month, it was ranked as the second-most polluted city after Bhiwadi in Rajasthan in a survey of 6,475 cities across the world under the World Air Quality Report-2021, an annual exercise undertaken by Switzerland-based organisation IQAIR.
Cities are declared “non-attainment” if they do not meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for particulate
matter (PM10) or nitrogen dioxide (No2) over a period of five years. “In addition, the subcommittee has also directed for enforcement against polluting vehicles, open dumping and burning of waste, burning in landfills and quick redressal of complaints on Sameer app and other social media platforms,” Sharma added.
The environmentalists said that it was a welcome step. “It is the need of the hour and Grap measures should be implemented in cities such as Ghaziabad. Here, residents suffer from air pollution throughout the year. However, there has to be strict enforcement and zero-tolerance against polluters. The city suffers from high pollution levels in terms of PM10 and PM2.5 levels,” said Akash
Vashishtha, a Ghaziabad-based environmentalist.
According to UPPCB officials, local pollution sources have been curbed to a large extent, while work is being done in terms of enforcement activities.
According to official UPPCB data, the average PM2.5 level of Ghaziabad was 211 micrograms per cubic metre (mpcm) in 2019-20, 228mpcm in 2020-21 and 178mpcm in 2021-22 during the Grap period from mid-october to mid-february.
The sub-committee was formed in October 2021, for the implementation of Grap measures and issuing necessary directions. The committee was formed on the directions of the commission for air quality management in the NCR and adjoining areas.