Pollution watchdog initiates steps for clean air in 17 cities

KOLHAPUR: The Maharashtra pollution control board (MPCB) has swung into action to take immediate and time-bound steps to curb air pollution in 17 major cities in the state, including Kolhapur, Mumbai, Pune, Aurangabad, Nashik and Nagpur, after a recent directive from the central agency.
The central pollution control board (CPCB) had issued directives on July 1 addressing the need for an action plan to bring the PM10 (particulate matter 10 micrometres or less in diameter) levels down.The directives were issued in the wake of high PM10 levels recorded in 17 cities between 2011 and 2015. The data for the period showed that the air pollution levels were consistently higher than the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), 2009.
The central environment regulator has referred how the Supreme Court, various high courts and the National Green Tribunal had issued specific directions to improve the air quality. The directive states that the central board has repeatedly asked the state agency to prepare effective air quality management plans and make efforts to get these plans implemented for the better air quality.
MPCB member secretary P Anbalagan told TOI that even before they received the CPCB directives, the state had already started preparing and implementing plan for 10 cities since January this year.
"Any directives from the CPCB are mandatory for us. There is no question of making any delay in its implementation. We have already allotted Rs 75 lakh each for Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur to prepare an action plan to curb the air pollution. There are steps taken in this regard as well. For instance, we are strictly implementing air quality standards for the ready-mix and stone crusher businesses, which were causing pollution in Navi Mumbai. We have brought transparency by online monitoring system," he said.
He added that a meeting regarding the recent directives will be held on Monday in Mumbai along with all the stakeholders. The meeting will chalk out the action plans for the remaining 7 cities. Anbalagan is confident that the plans for the cities such as Sangli, Kolhapur, Latur, Akola, Amravati, Ulhasnagar and Badlapur will be ready soon. "We will do it in time. We will follow the directives without delay," he added.
The CPCB has blamed resuspension of road dust, vehicles, burning of biomass, crop residue, municipal solid waste, construction and demolition activities, industrial units including power plans, diesel generator sets to augment power supply and fuel usage for domestic and commercial activities for the deteriorating air quality.
The agency has asked the MPCB to launch extensive drive against the polluting vehicles for ensuring strict compliance within a week from July 1. Public awareness campaign for air pollution control, vehicle maintenance and minimising use of personal vehicles was also supposed to start immediately. The CPCB had directed MPCB to prevent parking of vehicles in the non-designated areas.
There are some steps to be taken in 90 to 180 days as per the directives. For instance, it has been asked to place remote sensor-based PUC system, backtopping of metaled road including pavement of road shoulders, plan for conversion of natural draft brick kilns to inducted draft and other such measures in four to six months.
Environmental activists demanded that a meeting to apprise all the stakeholders about the directives should be held. "Every directive will have long-term impact on each city. I speak to MPCB officials frequently and there was no mention of these directives in any meeting held in Kolhapur this month," Uday Gaikwad, city-based environmentalist, said.
Sumaira Abdulali, environmentalist and convenor of Mumbai-based Awaaz Foundation, remarked that lack of sensitivity among MPCB officials towards the directives shows how Maharashtra is not serious about the pollution. "I have not read the directives; however, our past experience suggests the system is not serious about curbing pollution. The directives issued in the past remained on paper and it is a sad thing. There should be proper implementation of action plan prepared to curb pollution," she added.