Poor infrastructure, resources hit Graded Response Action Plan in Faridabad

As the first phase of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) is set to be implemented soon, inadequate infrastructure and resources to deal with the problem of pollution in the city are reported to be reasons for concern.

Poor infrastructure and resources may pose a challenge to the effective implementation of the GRAP norms, sources in the civic administration said. With just seven anti-smog guns, the Municipal Corporation might find it grossly inadequate to deal with the problem of smog that becomes common during winters, an employee said.

He said while the city needs an anti-smog gun after a stretch of 1 to 2 km each, only two of the guns are mobile, while five are stationary. Though 14 tenders of the Fire Department were also pressed into job several times, the facility had been minimal, considering the area and the population, it was claimed.

Fossil and non-green fuels like diesel, coal, wood and other items have been sources of energy in the industrial and commercial sector. Though the authorities of the Pollution Control Board have banned the usage of diesel generator sets during the implementation of GRAP, the unavailability of alternative sources like LPG and CNG in a majority of the industrial sectors has been a major problem.

“The authorities, including the civic agencies, find it difficult to issue challans or take action against the violation of the norms regarding the burning of the garbage and industrial waste in the open,” said Narender Sirohi, an activist.

He said while scores of manufacturing units had been releasing poisonous gases and untreated waste into drains, action against the offenders in a majority of the cases had been missing.

“While the sweeping of roads needs to be carried by vacuum-operated machines, the city has only one or two machines that have been operational in the city having a total of 45 civic wards spread on a 7-km radius,” said Varun Sheokand, a resident. He said the unavailability of electric buses and transport, dumping of garbage in the open, damaged and dusty road conditions had been other factors contributing to the pollution.

It may be recalled that the Haryana State Pollution Control Board had issued directions to the civic agencies recently regarding the measures needed to implement the GRAP set to be rolled out soon.

Birender Kardam, Chief Engineer, Faridabad Municipal Corporation, said the civic body was ready to implement the GRAP norms as per the directions of the authorities concerned.

Shortage of facilities

• Poor infrastructure and resources may pose a challenge to the effective implementation of the GRAP norms.
• With just seven anti-smog guns, the Municipal Corporation might find it grossly inadequate to deal with the problem of smog that becomes common during winters.
• Though 14 tenders of the Fire Department were also pressed into job several times, the facility had been minimal, considering the area and the population.