Gurugram gasps for air as action plan fails to kick off

District administration in stupor despite air quality turning ‘very poor’ since Diwali

Even as air quality in Gurugram continues to be “very poor”, with the Air Quality Index constantly breaching the 300-mark over the week after Diwali, the Gurugram district administration seems to have done precious little about its own “graded response action plan”.

The plan had been prepared at a recent meeting chaired by the Deputy Commissioner, Vinay Pratap Singh, to deal with different levels of air pollution.

Meeting on plan

At the meeting held in the office of Deputy Commissioner on September 29, it was decided that in case PM 2.5 levels breach the 121 micrograms per cubic metre mark, the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) would order shutting down of all diesel generator sets in the city.

It was also decided that the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram would enhance the parking fee by three to four times to deter people from using personal vehicles, thereby reducing traffic on the road.

Among other measures, the State Transport Department is supposed to increase frequency of public transport services and the Food and Supply Department must stop the use of coal/fire wood in hotels and eateries. The district administration is also supposed to issue alerts through newspapers, television and radio to advice people with respiratory problems and heart conditions on polluted areas and restrict outdoor movement.

However, none of these measures have been put in place despite the PM 2.5 levels constantly hovering between 132.56 and 240.02 micrograms per cubic metre since October 19, barring October 22 when levels were recorded at 99 micrograms per cubic metre.

With the burning of stubble picking up post-Diwali, no respite seems to be in sight, unless there is a change in wind direction or speed.

Jai Bhagwan, Regional Director (north Gurugram), HSPCB, said that a decision regarding the action plan could only be taken by the Deputy Commissioner. Replying to a message on WhatsApp, Mr. Singh, said he needed at least a day to respond.

‘No measures’

Reacting sharply to the inaction of the district administration, Ruchika Sethi, who runs the ‘Why Waste Your Waste’ campaign, said: “The air quality is poor to severe and the civic administration is yet to act. There seems to be no measures at all to curb the emergency-like situation that Gurugram finds itself in today. What stops the government from implementing basic measures mandated by the National Green Tribunal? The millennium city has let us down.”

Clean air activist Shona Chatterji, a resident of Silver Oaks, also demanded to know why the guidelines on air pollution control were not being enforced.

“The city has become a gas chamber. This is an emergency! Yet the civil administration pretends like there is nothing wrong. Where are the air quality monitors? Where is the enforcement of the NGT guidelines? Why isn’t there any policing of trucks carrying uncovered construction materials or the rampant burning of garbage? Why is the pollution board quiet on the issue,” she asked.