Dust Control & Management Cells set up in National Capital Region in pursuant to directions by Commission of Air Quality

What is the news?

Earlier, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) had issued directions to the State Governments of Uttar Pradesh (U.P.), Rajasthan, Haryana and the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) to set up Dust Control & Management Cells in their respective states.

So far, 17 such Cells have been set up in the state of U.P., 11 in Delhi, 8 in Rajasthan and 2 in Haryana.

About the Dust Control & Management Cells

The cell will regularly monitor the compliance of road dust control measures by all road owning/ maintaining/ road construction agencies of the States. The cell will also keep track of the progress of measures undertaken by the authorities concerned.

The cell will also prepare exhaustive reports on a monthly basis that will help in the fight against dust pollution more systematically.

CAQM has formulated a 10-point dust monitoring parameter in this regard. This parameter involves a variety of measures that needs to be strictly adopted by the Dust Control & Management Cells. These include,

• Optimum utilization of road sweeping machines,

• Scientific disposal of dust collected in designated sites/ landfills,

• Water sprinkling to suppress dust, especially after mechanized sweeping,

• Proper management of roads to ensure potholes-free roads,

• Laying or repairing roads in a manner that extensively supports mechanized sweeping,

• Laying cemented roads over bituminous roads, especially in industrial areas,

• Identification of hotspots of road dust and target-specific implementation of road dust control measures.

What is the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM)?

The Commission was first formed by the “Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Ordinance 2020”.

The CAQM will be a statutory authority. The Commission will supersede bodies such as the central and state pollution control boards of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, UP and Rajasthan. The commission is headquartered in New Delhi.

Source:  This post is based on the article “Dust Control & Management Cells set up in National Capital Region in pursuant to directions by Commission of Air Quality” published in PIB on 5th October 2021.