CAQM notifies norms for using mechanised rd sweeping machines

New Delhi: The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in NCR and adjoining areas on Wednesday issued rules for road-owning and maintenance agencies for deployment and utilisation of mechanised road sweeping machines to reduce air pollution caused by road dust, officials said. The commission noted that road dust is a dominant contributor to coarse particulate pollutant (PM10) and

remains significant contributor in fine particulate matter (PM2.5) also, particularly during the drier months.

“Inadequate and non-uniform road sweeping practices contribute to elevated ambient particulate matter levels, thereby adversely impacting the overall air quality in the National Capital Region (NCR). Effective mechanised road sweeping is an essential air pollution abatement intervention for the NCR, which has the measurable potential to reduce road dust and consequently lower PM10 and PM2.5 levels,” a senior CAQM official said.

“The study of CSIR-CRRI and CSIR-NEERI also recommended several actions to control the dust pollution which, inter-alia, included operation of mechanized road sweeping machines on the roads,” the official added. According to the norms, the mechanised road sweeping machines should be deployed according to the road width for effectiveness of dust control efforts.