Mesures to control pollution in Ghaziabad

CoRWA Updates                  

1. Air Pollution can be Controlled by Political & Administrative Will in Ghaziabad


2. Induct 300 CNG City Busses in Big Cities: PM 2.5 in air pollution is created mainly due to vehicular emissions and stubble burning. If we have adequate number of CNG City busses whose frequency is known and whose destination is compatible to last mile connectivity, people will decrease the use of their personal cars. Consequently the deadly PM 2.5, PM 1 and Benzene will get diminished in the Air. (PM 2.5 means particulate Matter of size 2.5 micro meter. Its safe limit is 60 microgram per cubic meter in India. Safe limit in USA is 20. In New Zealand it is 5.5. The average value in India is 300 to 400. The capacity reduction of lungs created by PM 2.5 once, can not be redone. Imagine the plight of children who will grow with reduced lung capacity and hence will not be able to enjoy life fully)


3. Install 2000 CCTV Cameras on main Roads: All Traffic Police Commissioners cry of shortage of staff. If we increase the number of Traffic Constables, there will be consequent increase in the amount of corruption as well. Instead, CCTVs are the best means to bring the errant drivers under observation. This practice is followed by most of the foreign countries. The cost of providing CCTVs is not much and even if it is so, “Corporate Social Responsibility”- CSR can be roped in to take care of the cost part.


4. Enforce MOKSHDA PRANALI at cremation grounds: Imagine an Iron box of about 7 x 3 x3 ft, open on two sides and with flaps on other two sides. Let this box be connected with a chimney. When the dead body is burnt inside this box , two third heat is entrapped and the burning takes place in one third of wood, when compared to open burning of funeral pyre. This saves two third trees. Such arrangements can be made at all cremation grounds and the wood contractors who oppose this arrangement for obvious reasons should be brought to books.


5. Observe CAR Free Days in Cities: Let there be a fixed“ car free day” in every city in every month. Let this day be devoted to the maintenance of the Cars and let the people learn to use alternative means of commuting. It is difficult to motivate liberty-drunk people to observe a Car Free Day unless an element of authoritative instruction is issued and also a personal example is set by the Administrative officers by not using Cars one day in a month.


6. Create “SANITARY LAND FILLS” instead of Dumping Grounds: We should do composting. We should recycle the waste. We should segregate the waste into bio-degradable and non-biodegradable right at the source. These are all evolutionary practices. People will take a very long time to understand them because we had to carry out extensive publicity to teach people that defecation in the open is not good. Therefore, some measures have to be taken immediately. Delhi and Mumbai have burnt their hands by creating dumping grounds which have now become dumping Hills. Because of pressure and temperature, the waste dumps produce methane gas which is inflammable. Hence frequent fire in the waste dumps are becoming unmanageable. Let us create number of “Sanitary Land Fills”- big ditches in the LMC grounds of Urban Civic Bodies ; fill these ditches with waste, cover them with mud on the top and plant grass and trees thereafter once they are saturated. No land is wasted in this exercise. However, it is a continuous process.


7. Collection Centers for e- waste: e-waste Rules 2016 lays down that the civic bodies should create e-waste collection centers. Pollution Control Board is supposed to make a report on 30^th Sep every year. State Governments are supposed to create recycling and dismantling parks for e-waste. Probably, no Urban Civic Body has thought about this till today. We will go for knee jerk reaction when the problem gets compounded. Let us start managing our e-waste right from today by creating e-waste collection centers in every town and subsequent actions.


8. Vertical Gardening: A research from Mexico City brings out that creepers covered on the façade of a four story building can absorb 40 tons of toxic gases in a year, neutralize 15 KG of Particulate matter in Air Pollution (the safe limit of PM 2.5 in Air is 60 microgram per cubic meter) and reduce noise pollution by 10 decibles. Can’nt we start raising creepers on the pillars of Fly Overs and Metro Rails followed by Govt buildings and private buildings?


9. Erecting Air Purifiers at Busy Terminus: In an emergency, it may be necessary to erect Air Purifiers, Virtual Chimneys and Mist Fountains at busy terminus; they work on the principle of forcing compressed air to leave at high velocity to effect large dispersion. The mist fountain is used to spray water to effect immediate settlement of particulate matter in the air. Let it be done at Raj Nagar Extension and Mohan Nagar Squares.

The aforesaid suggestions are over and above the measures already being taken by the Government like ban on stubble burning , diesel vehicles, Furnace Oil, Petroleum Coke, Generator Sets. There is no problem which is bigger than MAN.

By Col Tejandra Pal Tyagi, Vir Chakra,

Chairman RWA Federation Ghazibad, President, Flat Owners Federation Ghaziabad, Chief Convener, Confederation of NCR Resident Welfare Associations (CONRWA), Vice President and Director of FPCE ( Forum for Peoples Collective Efforts- A National Apex Body of Home Buyers with HQ at Kolkota) and Convenor CoRWA- a national apex body of RWAs with HQ: at Hyderabad.