Haryana: Amid concerns over poor AQI, HSPCB launches drive to check dust pollution

Tribune News Service

Faridabad, May 8

In a bid to curb dust pollution, the authorities of the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) have launched a drive to check the violation of norms notified by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM).

Recommended measures

• The pollution control board has directed contractors and agencies to sprinkle water on construction material and provide CCTV footage to the department for supervision.
• Besides, they are required to deploy anti-smog guns in proportion to the area under construction.
• The deployment of wind barriers at construction sites, covering the material and its transportation in covered vehicles have also been mandated to reduce dust pollution.

“The inspection of the sites was being carried out,” said an HSPCB official. He said contractors undertaking construction activities without complying with the norms would face action as per the norms laid by the CAQM.

Another official of the department said, “All construction activities being done on a plot size of 500 sq m or more need to be registered on the Dust portal of the HSPCB.”

“The pollution control board has directed contractors and agencies to follow certain norms such as sprinkling water on construction material and providing CCTV footage to the department for supervision,” the official added.

It is revealed that around 140 construction sites have been registered on the portal. However, camera links have not been provided for many of these, while many of the contractors are not following the prescribed norms, including the deployment of the anti-smog guns in proportion to the area under construction.

The board is required to do remote monitoring of dust control measures at all such sites through a web portal, according to the statutory directions issued by the CAQM in June 2021.

“As a large number of sites may not have registered with the portal, these could be an important factor behind dust pollution. Additionally, traffic movement, damaged roads and dumping of waste in the open could be other contributing factors,” said an official on condition of anonymity.

He said the deployment of wind barriers at construction sites, covering the material and its transportation in covered vehicles have been mandated to reduce dust pollution.

However, construction material is often not covered in a majority of the vehicles engaged in such work and tend to drop the material on roads resulting in dust pollution, claimed a social activist, Varun Sheokand.

The Deputy Commissioner’s office has sought details regarding the list of construction and demolition projects and plots with area of 500 sq m or more, which have been granted permission for construction, but have not obtained completion or occupation certificate, said an official.

He said the matter had been under the review of the apex court, which had directed the authorities to verify the ground situation in connection with a PIL already lodged in the court.

Meanwhile, the AQI here continued to remain in the ‘poor’ category with the average PM 2.5 recorded at 212 at Faridabad today.

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