Bengaluru: Lethal pollution levels and a push from ward committees of Whitefield and Mahadevpura areas got the State Pollution Control Board to issue an immediate notice to BMRCL, instructing them to clean up the construction dust caused by Metro work off the roads every day.
"We observed a lot of dust collecting on medians, roadsides and homes along the Whitefield Metro extension. We pitched in Rs 40,000 for a mechanised vacuum cleaner and did a round of cleaning ourselves. The amount of Particulate Matter 2.5 and 10 was ridiculously high," complained Anjali Saini, a resident of the area.
"PM 2.5 touched disastrous levels of 300 and PM 10 had skyrocketed to 400," she revealed.
Though the residents wanted to cover Kundalahalli, ITPL, Nallurhalli, Whitefield and Graphite Junction Main roads, the cleaner was ironically choked with dust after a short distance.
"We were thinking of covering 16 km in eight hours, but the cleaner had to be emptied every 4.5 km. Vehicles not only carry the dust into the air, as seen in Delhi, but also grinds it into finer pieces," she explained.
"To think schoolchildren walking by this road would have a permanent damage to their lungs when a bus passes by and sweeps up the dust," she said.
An emergency meeting was held between ward committee representatives of Hoodi, Kadugodi, Hagadur, Varthur and Dodda Nekkundi wards and KSPCB Chairman Lakshman.
"PM 2.5 is not supposed to cross 60 and PM 10 should not cross 100. We have sent a written notice to BMRCL to sprinkle water every day on the roads after the construction work ends, especially along barricaded portions," Mr Lakshman said, adding that BMRCL was mandated to dispose of its debris in a designated area, as per Construction and Demolition guidelines, 2016. The citizens complained that the BBMP, which is in charge of regular cleaning with mechanised vacuum cleaners, has not done its job, letting dust and dirt accumulate over months.
