By Ishita Malakar
Pune: In a significant step towards controlling air pollution in the city , the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has mandated all the bigger real estate projects to install air quality sensors. These sensors will therefore help provide the central dashboard of the civic body with real time air pollution data.
For some time now,the developers of these 500 crore real estate projects have significantly failed in maintaining the air pollution control levels and following the guidelines the Central Pollution Control Board has laid down before them.
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has formed a task force to work out the implementation of the new initiative. The panel will determine which type of sensors priced between ₹40,000 and ₹4 lakh depending on specifications should be installed at construction sites. Once finalised, developers will be required to fit these devices at their project locations. The sensors will transmit live data to the PMC’s centralised monitoring system, enabling continuous oversight of construction activity.
The Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) has already taken forward this initiative and PMC is also trying to implement a similar framework in controlling air pollution across the city. With the help of the World Resource Institute, India, these implementations will be carried out.
Previously guidelines by the Central Pollution Control Board were laid out to the owners of these sites to install 25 feet tall teen sheets all around the construction area as well to sprinkle water at intervals in the site regularly to somewhat tackle the dust generated everyday. The vehicles used in construction were also instructed to be washed before bringing them out to ply on the city roads. But they have failed to follow these guidelines and the pollution has significantly increased.
Construction sites account for at least 30% of dust pollution in the city and is majorly significant because Pune is going through rapid urbanisation due to the numerous construction projects. Therefore installing the air quality sensors can be a substantial approach to curb the rising pollution.
Keywords: Air pollution, Pune Municipal Corporation, Central Pollution Control Board, World Resource Institute, air quality sensor