Dust pollution continues to rise unchecked in Gurugram

Gurugram: With Gurugram facing a major issue of unhealthy air quality levels, dust along with vehicular pollution continues to be major factors for the deterioration of air quality in the city.

Large-scale construction activities, shortage of mechanised cleaning vehicles and dwindling green cover continue to be some of the major reasons for the high-level of dust pollution in Gurugram.

As all major routes in the city are undergoing major infrastructural works, high levels of dust pollution always become a major problem during heavy traffic hours.

The areas in the city which are facing the problems of dust pollution are important traffic points along NH-8, Golf Course Road, Golf course extension road, MG road and Civil lines road.

The adverse effect of dust pollution is further compounded with most of the construction firms not following the norms.

Most of the areas where construction works are going on and the construction materials are not covered as has been directed by the Green Tribunal. According to the government sources, the lack of regulation of overloaded heavy vehicles plying along the National Highway-8 is also contributing to the dust pollution.

At present, there is also no concrete mechanism introduced by the government agencies to tackle rising levels of dust pollution in the city.

Shortage of mechanised cleaning vehicles in the city has resulted in dust being cleaned with brooms, a process that proves counterproductive.

"Dust pollution is a major challenge in Gurugram. We are coordinating with the officials of Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) on the issue. The present process of cleaning dusty roads of the city with a broom has not been useful, especially when there are a lot of construction activities going on in the city. We hope to introduce vacuum cleaning of major routes in the city, soon," said a senior official from Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB). We have also penalised construction firms which do not follow the NGT guidelines, added the official.

Air quality level in the city remained poor on Sunday. While particulate matters of 10 microns were recorded in the range of 300-350 micrograms per cubic metre, the more harmful particulate matter of 2.5 microns was recorded in the range of 150-180 micrograms per cubic metre, exceeding beyond its safe limit of 60 micrograms per cubic metre.

The pollution levels of Gurugram on certain occasions have even surpassed those of Delhi, thus making it the most polluted place in the country.