Dehradun: Uttarakhand government directed the officials concerned to prepare a clean air action plan to put a check on pollution in Dehradun, Rishikesh, and Kashipur cities under the National Clean Air programme.
These three cities- Dehradun, Rishikesh and Kashipur- figures in the list 131 cities (non-attainment cities and Million Plus Cities) identified under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP). The NCAP programme was launched by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC) with an aim to improve air quality in the 131 cities by engaging all stakeholders. The programme envisages to achieve reductions up to 40% or achievement of National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter10 (PM 10) concentrations by 2025-26.
Uttarakhand needs serious efforts to achieve the target set under NCAP
Chief secretary Radha Raturi, who chaired the fourth State-level Steering Committee meeting of the National Clean Air Program (NCAP) on the premises of the state secretariat, underlined the need for serious efforts on part of the departments concerned to work on a concrete action plan to achieve the target of reducing the amounts of pollutants by 40 percent by the year 2025-26 as set under the NCAP programme of the MoEFCC.
Setting up of the Integrated traffic management programme and dust control
Chief secretary Raturi directed the officials concerned to set up the integrated traffic management system at main junctions and improve roads for dust control. She also gave focus to updating the infrastructure in the adaptation of electric vehicles and subsequently, gave instructions to set up EV charging stations in shopping malls.
Focus on strict implementation scrap policy regarding vehicles
Giving emphasis on the strict implementation of the scrap policy regarding vehicles by all departments, she directed the officials to develop green belts between cities. She told the officials concerned at the meeting that bamboo plantations should be given preference, instead of other plants, in the empty spaces between the roads and in the traffic corridors.
Track the garbage burning activities
Chief secretary Raturi directed the urban development department to seriously track the garbage burning activities through the task force constituted at the Municipal Corporation level. She also directed that the littering activities must be stopped with the help of Mahila Mangal Dals.
