Strict norms for reducing carbon emission from vehicles, other initiatives helped keep air pollution in control : Dighe

PUNE Pune’s air quality index in 2019 has improved as compared to 2018, according to a global report. Mangesh Dighe, head of the environment department, Pune Municipal

PUNE Pune’s air quality index in 2019 has improved as compared to 2018, according to a global report. Mangesh Dighe, head of the environment department, Pune Municipal corporation (PMC) speaks to HT on what steps the civic body has undertaken to keep the air pollution level in control.

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Q: What measures has the PMC taken to curb air pollution?

A: Pollution levels have stabilised due to various measures undertaken by the civic body including establishing strict norms for new vehicles which have less carbon emission. PMC has also taken various steps like not allowing the burning of garbage, building cycle track and footpaths which reduces dust emission, more than 50 per cent of the buses are now electric, encouraging use of compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles on the roads and pollution control devices at crematoriums. At construction sites too, the mixing of concrete and sand has been reduced at ready mixes are used widely.

Q: Why are the months of January and December the most polluted?

A: During these two months, the winds are still and also the inversions come very low which means the polluting particles are close to the ground and so one can see the smog in the air. During winters the pollution levels are often high, not because of increased activities, but mostly because of the natural climate conditions.

Q: Which are the major contributors of pollution?

A: The major sources of pollution are vehicles and for the first time in 20 years, last year we noticed a comparatively lesser registration of vehicles in the city, but an increased registration of public transport which includes cab aggregators. So the overall per capita pollution is low due to less use of personal vehicles.