Dust Mitigation plan mandatory for firms: EM

NEW DELHI: The Environment Ministry has made dust mitigation plan mandatory for companies seeking environment clearance . Cities and towns across the country where the hazardous particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) exceeds prescribed limits will now under law have to implement measures to reduce dust. Many big cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chandigarh, Lucknow, Varanasi and Kanpur, among others, fall in this category.

Under the rule, which came into force the day the ministry issued the gazette notification on January 25, no building or infrastructure project requiring environmental clearance, will get approval without approved dust mitigation measures.  No loose soil, sand, construction waste could be left uncovered. A water sprinkling system was mandatory, and  no uncovered vehicles carrying construction material and waste would be permitted.

Moreover, the grinding and cutting of building materials in open area were prohibited.

According to a study by IIT- Kanpur reported, in 2015, that road dust and burning of biomass and municipal solid waste were the main cause of Delhi’s air pollution.

Road dust contributed 56% of all PM10 pollution, while it was 38% for PM2.5. PM2.5 and PM10 are the most dominant pollutants in Delhi’s air.

Dust is a generic term for a vast mix of metals and non-metals — silicon, aluminium, titanium, manganese, copper, barium, antimony, selenium and zinc.