Taking note of increasing air pollution and to keep dust material under control in towns and cities, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has issued a notification making mandatory dust mitigation measures in infrastructural projects and demolition activities in the country. This would help to keep dust under control to reduce air pollution in metros and cities.
According to Environment Ministry’s notification, “no building or infrastructure project will be implemented without inclusion of dust mitigation measures. Severe pollution forced the authorities in Delhi to impose emergency measures such as halting all heavy construction and calling for strict dust control in November last year.
“Roads leading to or at construction sites must be paved and blacktopped. No excavation of soil should be carried out without adequate dust mitigation measures in place. No loose soil or sand or construction or demolition waste or any other construction material that causes dust should be left uncovered. Water sprinkled system should
be put in place. Wind breaker of appropriate height one third of the building height and maximum up to 10 meters should be provided,” the notification said.
The ministry’s notification said that construction material and waste should be stored only within earmarked area and road side storage of construction material and waste should be prohibited. “No uncovered vehicles carrying construction material and waste should be permitted,” it said.
The IIT Kanpur study on Delhi’s air pollution, considered the most comprehensive report on the issue till date, had identified road dust as the biggest source of suspended particulate matter in the city. According to the IIT report, road dust makes up over 50 per cent of the total PM10 particles and about 38 per cent of PM2.5 particles. PM2.5 and PM10 are the most dominant pollutants in Delhi’s air. These ultrafine particulates, which can measure up to 30 times tinier than the width of a human hair and reach the bloodstream of a person through the respiratory system, pose serious health risks.
During the first week of November last year, a thick layer of dense smog covered almost the entire National Capital and its adjoining regions that remained from November 6 until November 10. During that time, the stubble burning was also at its peak in Punjab and Haryana.
Coincidently, low-level winds also became calm or very light. Thus, the smoke of stubble burning assisted by local pollution of Delhi and NCR such as vehicular traffic, and constructional dust, carried the pollutants towards the National capital.