HSPCB issues five-point agenda to fight bad air

GURUGRAM: The Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) issued five-point agenda on October 29, 2018, to combat air pollution in Gurugram.

HSPCB instructed the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG), Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA), traffic police and RWA’s to take steps included in the agenda. The agenda includes Sprinkling of water on roads and trees, mechanized sweeping of roads, preventing traffic congestion, blanket ban on dumping and burning of garbage in open and keeping tab on overloaded and polluting vehicles.

An HSPCB source said, “RWAs have been instructed to provide electric heaters to security guards on duty in the outdoors during winter so that they don’t use firewood. MCG has been asked to continue sprinkling of water on roads and trees, mechanised sweeping of roads and keeping a check over dumping and burning of garbage in the open while the traffic police have been asked to prevent traffic congestion.”

As per CPCB, all the concerned departments have to submit action-taken reports, details of cases identified, and collection of penalties. A letter issued by CPCB states that “Actions-taken reports should be filed. Details of challans issued and penalties collected (should) be intimated to HSPCB for compilation and reporting.”

The main HSPCB instructions were: prevent parking of vehicles in non-designated areas; introduce flexi/staggered work timings to minimise peak traffic movement; de-congest pathways; create green buffers along traffic corridors; wet/mechanised vacuum sweeping of roads; maintain pothole-free roads for free flow of traffic intersections; stringent action against burning waste in open; proper collection/disposal of garbage; control dust pollution at construction sites; ensure the transportation of construction material in covered vehicles; and set up exclusive teams to report violations and non-compliance of norms.