VIJAYAWADA: With air pollution reaching alarming levels in the city, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB) to take necessary steps for reducing pollution levels by bringing the contaminants under control. As per reports, Vijayawada stands at 45th position and Visakhapatnam 96th in the country among pollution affected cities.
According to APPCB officials, depletion of greenery and sharp rise in construction activity coupled with vehicular emission has taken a toll on the air quality in the city, with the particulate matter 10 (PM10) rising alarmingly high and worse than in Visakhapatnam, Guntur, Kurnool and Nellore.
In June, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) declared all the five cities as non-attainment areas with respect to Ambient Air Quality standards (2011-15) and the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) report.
As per the national ambient air quality standards, respirable SPM should be around 60 microgram/cubic metre annually. But in Vijayawada, it is more than 100 microgram/cubic metre and sometimes reaches 110 micrograms/cubic metre. On average, it settles between 80-110 microgram/cubic metre on a busy day.
Asked whether the APPCB received any directives from NGT over steps to be taken for reducing air pollution levels in the city, APPCB director BSS Prasad told TNIE that following the directives of NGT, they are drafting a plan of action with the support of the municipal corporation and the transport department to prevent the air quality from reaching alarming levels.
As part of the plan, the municipal corporation has to regularly carry out enforcement drives to collect dust and waste accumulating on the pavements, he said, adding that the civic body should take steps in cleaning the roads without causing any harm to the environment.
Elaborating further, Prasad said that vehicular traffic is a major cause behind the increasing air pollution in the city as hundreds of lorries and heavy vehicles are passing through the city on National Highways. "Apart from vehicular pollution (both two and four wheelers), indiscriminate burning of garbage is another major factor contributing to increase in air pollution levels in the city. Taking a serious note of the matter, the transport department should conduct special checks to prevent traffic snarls in the city to reduce vehicular emission," he added.