Gurgaon: Aiming to increase the green cover in the city 1% to 15%, the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) announced that it will plant one lakh saplings from next week. The drive will be launched with an awareness rally to make people understand the impact of air pollution.
The region has had poor air quality since November last year, which has continued for most part of this year.
“Forest area accounts for less than 1% of Gurgaon’s urban area, which is why the city has been getting high air pollution. We have formed an action plan and have approached builders and major industrial houses in the city to plant saplings in their areas across the city,” said JB Sharma, regional officer, HSPCB.
Saplings will be planted around MG Road, Iffco Chowk, Signature tower, CyberHub, Golf Course road, sectors 67 to 71, along the Dwarka Expressway and Sohna Road. The saplings will be managed by the residents and corporate houses.
Apart from reducing air pollution, the plantation drive will also ensure reduction in noise pollution that residents staying close to the major junctions in the city face, said Sharma.
The board has issued orders to ensure that every major corporate building has 30% green cover. Gurgaon has a total forest area of 1,600 acres, which works out to around 2% of the total area of the district.
{{/usCountry}}The board has issued orders to ensure that every major corporate building has 30% green cover. Gurgaon has a total forest area of 1,600 acres, which works out to around 2% of the total area of the district.
{{/usCountry}}“The green cover in the urban areas is constantly reducing because of developmental projects. The one lakh saplings will be planted especially around the national highway, commercial and industrial areas,” Sharma added.
For the last six months, suspended particulate matter (PM) 2.5 has been much above the permissible limit, which is 60 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m³). PM 2.5 is particulate matter 2.5 micrometres or less in diameter and is a major component of air pollution. The fine particles can reside in the lungs and aggravate asthma or respiratory conditions.
BOX----
Major pollutants in the city
----Construction and Demolition waste from construction sites
----Dust from construction sites
----Smoke from vehicles that ply on roads
---- Waste burning at different sites in the city
----Diesel generators still operating at various colonies