Gurugram: Sudden change in weather conditions may have deteriorated the levels of pollution in Gurugram but it is important to note that in 12 months there are only 20 days when city residents breathed clean air. Pollution caused by dust is one of the major factors in deteriorating air of Gurugram. Despite various steps, the officials have not been able to devise any effective plan to fight this major challenge. However, there is still no concrete measure in solving this challenge.
While there was an announcement that the roads will be swept through mechanised cleaning measures, most of the roads including the prominent ones like MG road, Golf Course road continue to be cleaned through brooms. Moreover, roadside dust due to depleting green cover is a concern that has also been raised by senior officials of the district administration. While felling of trees is a major concern, the civic body has also been criticised for not devising a mechanism to maintain the present green cover. Most of the greenery and trees are wilting due to lack of maintenance.
Medical experts claim that cleaning dust by brooms have not been an effective medium in dealing with the dust pollution. Large scale construction activities, depleting green cover are some of the major reasons attributed to rise in air pollution caused due to dust. Though mechanised trucks have been contracted by the civic body, but it seems to be very less and are rarely being used on the city roads.
At a time when the civic agencies are struggling to find an effective solution to deal with the pollution, the city's air is worsening by the day. On Friday, the particulate matters 2.5 microns was recorded at the level of 215-220 micrograms per cubic metre that is way beyond the safe limit of 60. There was also high concentration of other particulates like PM10, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide.
According to experts, the climatic condition and less winds are only going to make the situation bad in the coming days. "The haziness that has enveloped the city is enough for the authorities and the residents to know that air we are breathing is not healthy. Yet, the urgency that needs to be shown by the authorities is somewhere missing," said Ankita Rai, a city resident.