National Clean Air Programme: ₹26 crore grant announced to reduce air pollution in Ludhiana

From Punjab, Amritsar has also been selected under the programme, and a grant of Rs 19 crore has been announced for the holy city

With an aim to improve air quality in the city, Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) and municipal corporation (MC) officials conducted a meeting under the National Clean Air Programme at MC Zone D office on Tuesday.

Ludhiana MC and PPCB officials during a meeting on Tuesday. (Harsimar Pal SIngh/HT)

Under the programme, authorities will work on different projects/policies to reduce air pollution at the industrial hub, for which a grant of Rs 26 crore has been announced by 15th Finance Commission. From Punjab, Amritsar has also been selected under the programme, and a grant of Rs 19 crore has been announced for the holy city.

Recently, PPCB had conducted a source apportionment study through Punjab State Council for Science and Technology (PSCST), Chandigarh. The recommendations of the study were also discussed during the meeting. These include short, medium and long term measures, transport sector action plan, plan to deal with dust on roads and industrial action plan.

PPCB officials said Rs 1 crore has been issued to MC to purchase a mechanical sweeping machine.

PPCB member secretary, Krunesh Garg, said, “The grant will also be issued for the next four years. The Union government will also rank the cities under the programme next year. If a city performs well to reduce air pollution, it might get a grant of up to Rs 100 crore.”

Garg said it was the first meeting under this programme and recommendations of the study have been shared with MC.

While civic body officials will work on ground level, PPCB will oversee the entire programme. MC officials have been told to take some immediate steps like stopping garbage burning, mechanical sweeping of roads and installing water sprinklers on roadsides.

MC commissioner Pardeep Sabharwal said, “It was a fruitful session and PPCB officials have apprised us of the recommendations. The final decision on these will be taken shortly and every effort will be made to reduce air pollution in the city. Under this programme, four new air pollution monitoring points will be set up in the city.”

CETPs inspected

Sabharwal and Garg also visited the under construction common effluent treatment plants (CETPs) for Focal point and Tajpur Road dyeing industry. The CETPs are being constructed to treat the waste from the dyeing industry, which is currently being released into Buddha Nullah through MC sewer lines. Garg said testing of the Focal Point plant is expected to start mid-December.