Amid poor air quality levels, officials step up immediate measures

Amid the deteriorating air quality levels in Gurugram due to severe pollution, officials of Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) have stated that they are taking immediate measures to try and improve the air quality levels in the Millennium City.

The officials at HSPCB mentioned that not only this year but since 2015 onwards, the Haryana state-run Organisation has taken punitive action against construction sites and stone-crusher units in the city.

Pollution at the stone crusher units and construction sites are believed to be significant contributors of poisonous particulate matters in Gurugram’s air.

“From 2015 till now, we have penalised around 28 stone crusher units in the city and collected Rs 56 lakh as fine. Similarly, we have collected a sum of Rs 1 crore 15 lakh from the construction sites in the city,” said Vijay Choudhury,  senior official at HSPCB.

Gurugram has recorded one of the worse air quality levels this time in the National Capital Region.

Situation was not better even on Tuesday with the levels of harmful particulate matter of 2.5 microns being in the levels of 200-250 way more than its safe limits of 60.

Besides the PM 2.5, there is also high concentration of other poisonous gases like nitrogen oxide, sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide.

“Even as the air of Gurugram is unhealthy, it is not as bad as Delhi or even Faridabad. Unlike Faridabad, Gurugram is not that industrialised and therefore, less polluted than its neighbours,” added Choudhury.

He also acknowledged that lack of monitoring stations is a major challenge in the city and in the coming months, the HSPCB will try to install more monitoring stations. 

“Officially, we have only one monitoring station at Vikas Sadan, Gurugram. The HSPCB has sent a proposal to install the monitoring stations at the railway road and the cyber city area of the city. We are presently facing the challenge of getting land for it,” said Choudhury. 

Earlier, HSPCB officials claimed that citizens seemed to have swung into a party mood in view of the Christmas and New Year, as well as the weekend, triggering a massive rush and congestion on the city roads.