Cleaning up Bengaluru’s air: Not a priority despite soaring pollution

Out of 16 cities studied for emission of Particulate Matter, Bengaluru had the highest 64% contribution from vehicular exhaust, says report prepared by the Centre for Science and Environment

Updated - August 16, 2024 10:26 am IST - Bengaluru

Out of 16 cities studied for emission of Particulate Matter (PM 2.5), Bengaluru had the highest 64% contribution from vehicular exhaust. 

Out of 16 cities studied for emission of Particulate Matter (PM 2.5), Bengaluru had the highest 64% contribution from vehicular exhaust.  | Photo Credit: MURALI KUMAR K

Extremely high vehicular emissions, mountains of dust from unregulated construction debris, dramatic decline in tree cover… Bengaluru was already slipping big on the air pollution map into deep red territory when the city earned another notoriety: The worst performer among 25 cities in use of funds under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP). Doesn’t this defy logic?

First, the grim statistics: Bengaluru used barely 13% of the grants released under the 15th Finance Commission to support the clean air programme, says a report prepared by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). Compare this with over 70% fund utilization by Lucknow, Hyderabad and Greater Mumbai.

Out of 16 cities studied for emission of Particulate Matter (PM 2.5), Bengaluru had the highest 64% contribution from vehicular exhaust. While diesel generator (DG) sets contributed 11% of the city’s PM 2.5, open solid waste burning was linked to 10% of the emissions. Road dust made up 7% of the pollutants. Delhi, which often struggles with its vehicular congestion, had only 39% of the PM 2.5 coming from transport exhaust.

Bengaluru used barely 13% of the grants released under the 15th Finance Commission to support the clean air programme, says a report prepared by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). 

Bengaluru used barely 13% of the grants released under the 15th Finance Commission to support the clean air programme, says a report prepared by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).  | Photo Credit: Rasheed Kappan

No stopping emissions

The picture is grim. Despite an explosive, unregulated growth of vehicles, which, at last count stood in excess of 1.20 crore, the city has fallen short on activating multiple measures mandated under the NCAP programme. City action plans had to be prepared, source apportionment studies completed, pollution hotspots identified and a pollution emergency response plan readied.

The report has also found huge gaps in regulation of on-road emissions management, phasing out of old vehicles, improvement of public transport, electrification, non-motorised transport and parking policy. To put this in perspective, Bengaluru’s Air Quality Index (AQI) – a measure of PM10 and PM2.5 - has been seeing a considerable drop. Before the rains arrived, the number of good air quality days (AQI between 0 and 100) in March was much less than March 2023. 

Road dust combined with vehicular exhaust can multiply the pollution hazards, a deadly mix of PM10 and PM2.5 particles. 

Road dust combined with vehicular exhaust can multiply the pollution hazards, a deadly mix of PM10 and PM2.5 particles.  | Photo Credit: MURALI KUMAR K

Coordination gaps

NCAP’s performance-linked funding with targeted milestones inevitably requires all the stakeholders to show time-bound results. This is where Bengaluru’s multiple agencies have been found wanting. V. Ramprasad, a seasoned environmentalist and pollution watcher attributes it to lack of coordination, primarily between the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) and the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).

“The Board and the Palike do whatever they want. This is because of a lack of governance. There are no elected corporators and mayor,” he points out. “These are all Mayoral programmes, not what the Deputy Chief Minister or Chief Minister should undertake. As long as there are no elections, this will go on. There is no one in-charge and nobody is taking full responsibility. They pass on the blame to BMTC, transport and other departments.”

In February 2023, the Centre had granted  ₹116 crore to Bengaluru for its clean air projects, adding to the ₹419 crore released earlier in two tranches. The Urban Development Department had prepared a micro action plan for eight works and sent it to the Chief Minister’s Office for approval.

Bulk of the funds were released to the Palike for improvement of junctions, footpath improvement, nurseries and parks. The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) received funds to buy electric buses.

Third-party audit

While the State Assembly elections, code of conduct and other factors delayed the works, questions were raised on the use of the funds for a waste transfer station. On the Palike agenda was a plan to procure 250 electric vehicles for marshals monitoring solid waste related activities. It later dropped plans to procure 75 mechanical sweepers since it could not manage even the existing machinery. Many have called for a third party audit to ascertain how the grant money is being spent.

Dr. R. Subramanian, Head, Air Quality Sector, at the Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP) acknowledges that there are plans in place to utilize the funds on road improvement, urban greening and more. But the Palike, he notes, faces issues in tendering. “These are taxpayers’ money, and the government is trying to be cautious, to get the best value for work. They are faced with issues like whether they should buy equipment or rent them, whatever is more cost-efficient,” he elaborates.

Delayed process

The focus of NCAP, he reminds, is mainly on PM10 particles. “A lot of PM10 is really dust, whether construction dust or re-suspended road dust. As for PM2.5, they are trying to buy more electric buses. It will be a lot easier when you are trying to procure 3, 4 or 10 buses than massive orders in hundreds. You will then have to comply with many regulations that are triggered. Can those regulations be eased? That is not the purview of the transport department. That’s why the whole tendering process seems to have taken a while,” he says.

Ramprasad talks about how dust control and air purification mechanisms mandated for both public infrastructure and private builders are not followed. As far back as January 2018, the State government had directed builders and road / rail developers to follow the 2016 National Greens Tribunal (NGT) norms mandating regular watering at construction sites, covered trucks to carry material, tarpaulin covers at under-construction sites and a ban on dumping of debris, sands on roads and inside colonies.

No dust control

Beyond physical barricades of a certain height, dust control measures are rarely seen at the Namma Metro construction sites or private building projects. Dr. Subramanian says the government might find it tough to control other than periodic visits. However, he suggests deploying dust sensors at construction sites like in Mumbai and Delhi. Massive construction projects can afford these since it would only be a small fraction of the total cost.

Road dust combined with vehicular exhaust can multiply the pollution hazards, a deadly mix of PM10 and PM2.5 particles. As a former KSPCB official on the technical side explains, dust kicked up by vehicles and tail-end emissions are suspended in air at an altitude of 3-4ft above the ground. Two-wheeler riders and autorickshaw drivers and passengers directly inhale this, triggering health issues.

Role of white-topping

The white-topping of roads has only added to the problem. “White-topped roads are cement and concrete. Dust particles rise when vehicles continuously move and constantly brake, triggering friction, wear-and-tear. While BMTC bus passengers sitting at a height of 7-8ft escape this, motorcyclists cannot get away,” the official points out.

To make matters worse, roads are not cleaned frequently and the dust accumulates on the kerb side. As he puts it, “When the hot exhaust hits, the dust is re-suspended once again. During dry days, this re-suspension goes up further.”

No plantation

On the greening side, seasoned legal activist on environmental concerns, Dattatreya Devare flags another concern: Lack of activation on the emission hotspots, 53 of which were identified for plantation activities by KSPCB as part of a comprehensive air pollution control strategy.

Twenty-three of these hotspots are within the transportation sector. These areas face an enormous amount of tailpipe emissions and road dust, while the other hotspots suffer from high air pollution triggered by construction and demolition. The major pollution sources are digging, demolition, excavation, cement work, and movement of construction vehicles. The Forest department was tasked with carrying out plantation activities in these hotspots.

“Very little priority is being given to the plantation. It has to be done mainly by the BBMP forest cell. But they have their own annual plantation programme. I have not seen them adding the plantation requirements under different plans,” Devare points out. He also cites the Karnataka Heat Wave Action Plan, which also mandates plantation. “I have been tracking them for long, but have not seen any integration of plantations under different programmes. Obviously then, the funds are not utilized.”

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