Ghaziabad gets ₹34.33 cr more funds for air quality improvement

The city of Ghaziabad will receive ₹34

The city of Ghaziabad will receive ₹34.33 crore as funds for air quality improvement for 2023-24 that will enable the civic authority to take measures in this regard, the municipal corporation officials said here on Thursday.

An RRTS train is barely visible in the heavy fog and pollution in Ghaziabad on a cold January morning. (Sakib Ali/HT Photo)

The funds were part of ₹462 crore to 12 performing cities on the basis of PM10 and air quality index (AQI) under the air quality performance grant, the officials said.

During 2020-21, Ghaziabad received ₹120 crore as funds for spending on measures for improvement in air quality and improvement in solid waste measures.

The latest funds, like the previous one, will also be received under the 15th Finance Commission.

According to Vikramaditya Malik, municipal commissioner (Ghaziabad), the new grant of funds was announced on Wednesday and it’s expected soon.

The corporation will take up air quality improvement measures to further lower down and keep the air pollution in check.

“From the previous ₹120 crore funds, we have spent about ₹114 crores and these were roped in to purchase new equipment like water sprinkling machines, mechanised road sweeping machines, improving dusty roads, among other measures,” he said, adding that a committee will decide the course of spending the funds.

The air quality index has shown improvement in Ghaziabad in the past years.

According to official figures of the Uttar Pradesh pollution control board (UPCCB), the city recorded an annual average AQI of 256 in 2017, 250 in 2018, 238 in 2019, 204 in 2020, 227 in 2021 and 206 in 2022.

“It recorded average AQI of 181 in 2023 and the conditions have improved since past years,” said Vikas Mishra, regional officer of UPPCB, Ghaziabad, adding: “It is also due to pollution abatement measures being taken up under directions of Commission for Air Quality Management.”

Environmentalists, however, sought transparency in spending of funds.

“The public should know where the funds allocated for abating pollution is being spent… If equipment is purchased from funds, these should be roped in round the year and not just during winter season to tackle pollution,” said Sushil Raghav, a city-based environmentalist.