Implementing Grap in Udyog Vihar main priority, say officials

Road dust, dumping of construction and demolition (C&D) waste and insufficient remedial measures have turned Udyog Vihar into a pollution hot spot, where the implementation

Road dust, dumping of construction and demolition (C&D) waste and insufficient remedial measures have turned Udyog Vihar into a pollution hot spot, where the implementation the Graded Response Action Plan (Grap) is a top priority, according to officials of the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB).

HT Image

Officials said that the area was visited by a task force of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in the last week of September. The area was also visited by the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (Epca) chairman in 2019 and deficiencies were identified, with the same to be addressed as per an order issued by deputy commissioner Amit Khatri on October 14 to prevent severe air pollution in Gurugram.

However, despite the problems being identified, incomplete road widening projects, heavy traffic and open dumping of waste in the factory-heavy area continue to worsen air quality. The issue is exacerbated during winter.

“The criteria for Udyog Vihar being the hot spot are dumping of solid waste and road dust. Epca chairman Bhure Lal during his field visit in 2019 identified the deficiencies in Udyog Vihar area. Recently, in the last week of September, a CPCB-led task force visited Udyog Vihar,” said Kuldeep Singh, regional officer, HSPCB.

When asked about the concentration of particulate matter in the area, Singh did not comment. The area lacks a proper air pollution monitoring system.

According to the reports on the action plan to control pollution, accessed by HT, three road widening projects which were planned to reduce dust emission are still incomplete.

Work on the stretches from National Highway 48 (NH 48) to Old Delhi-Udyog Vihar and NH 48 toll gate to Kapashera border in Udyog Vihar could not start due to shifting of utilities, such as 11KV electric lines and 66 KV Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam Limited (HVNL) towers, the report stated.

A road-widening project from Shankar Chowk on NH 48 to Old Delhi Road in Daruhera, which is currently underway, is likely to be completed by this year, according to the report.

The Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA), which is the agency responsible for the road projects, cited a shortage of skilled labour due to Covid-19 pandemic as the reason for delay.

Besides, the industries department has also invited tenders for projects amounting to Rs 7.69 crores, to repair and upgrade internal roads. The work is yet to be taken up.

Pawan Kumar, a property dealer in Udyog Vihar, said that due to construction of Old Gurugram-Delhi Road, there is heavy dust in the area during the peak hours. He said, “There has been enough movement in the area with the unlock, which has led to road dust along with the vehicular pollution. It should be sprinkled with water every few hours, but we haven’t seen any such activity happening.”

Open dumping of C&D waste, adding to the concentration of fine particulate matter, compounds the issues in Udyog Vihar further.

Officials of the municipal corporation said they are taking action to keep a check on polluting activities.

Jitender Garg, additional commissioner, Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG), who is in charge of implementing Grap guidelines in Udyog Vihar, said that garbage-vulnerable points (GVP), where dumping of construction waste is highest, have been identified.

On Friday, three people were penalised Rs 5,000 each by the MCG for dumping waste. “Being a hot spot area, we have put a strategy in place, whereby two teams comprising of three members each will do night patrolling as most of the waste is dumped after midnight. A sprinkler machine has already been stationed specifically for the area, along with the road sweeping machine to prevent the dust emission from the GVPs and roads,” said Garg.

According to him, actions are being taken in compliance with the October 14 order, which listed solid waste dumping in industrial areas as a problem to be taken up on a priority basis.

An employee of a private company in Udyog Vihar, who preferred anonymity, said, “In Udyog Vihar Phase-1, one can easily see C&D waste being dumped on the roadside. But this time, there has been an improvement compared to last year, when there were unpaved roads and excessive dumping of solid waste.”