Gurugram, Faridabad to have pollution control rooms

<p id="content">In a bid to reduce increasing pollution levels in the National Capital Region in Haryana, two control rooms will be set up by the state government in Gurugram and Faridabad districts which will be functioning all 24 hours, Chief Secretary Vijai Vardhan said yesterday.

Special training will be imparted to the employees to run the centres.

Presiding over a meeting of the Haryana Pollution Control Board here, Vardhan asked to ensure compliance with the directions of the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) that directed to ban the use of diesel generator sets, other than for essential or emergency services, in both districts.

For this, electricity from the grid can be supplied without disruptions in these areas, which would then obviate the need for diesel generators.

The Chief Secretary said large construction projects, including highways and metros, will provide an undertaking to the State Pollution Control Board or pollution control committees that they will assure adherence to the prescribed norms and guidelines for dust management.

Along with this, industries, particularly in the red and orange category, will provide an undertaking to the pollution control board that they will use only authorized fuel.

"Control of air pollution during winter will require greatly enhanced vigilance on ground so that sources such as industrial stacks and garbage dumping and use of illegal fuel are checked. The use of all technologies for dust management, including smog-guns, should be extensively used during this period," an official statement quoting Vardhan said.

The Chief Secretary directed the officers concerned to specifically set up pollution control rooms in Gurugram and Faridabad so that the public can contact them directly for problems and complaints related to increasing pollution levels.

He said the complaints and problems reported in the control room should be analyzed, which will make it easier to understand for the officers concerned as to what kind of difficulties are being reported in which area and what measures are to be taken to resolve them immediately.

The direct mechanized sweeping machines for regular cleaning of roads and streets should be ensured. Besides this, sprinkling of water and other necessary measures to control dust from roads should also be taken, the Chief Secretary directed.</p>.