BENGALURU: Rampant use of diesel generators and large scale construction activities were the major contributors towards rising air pollution in the city.
This was revealed by experts at a workshop to develop a local action plan aiming to control air pollution. It was organised by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), in association with European Union and Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB).
Andrew Ford, who works as a pollution manager at Islington Council, London, said that air quality is one of the major priorities for the politicians in London.
While addressing the gathering on some of the major solutions which London has followed to tackle air pollution, Ford said, “The continuous monitoring of dust and noise should be collected and analysed, and liaising with concerned officials would solve a part of the problem.”
Listing out the things which can be assimilated by the regulatory agencies in the Silicon Valley, Ford added that diesel vehicles must be regulated and the older ones should be charged more.
Retro fitment of old vehicles along with modernization of fleet were some of the solutions that were charted to tackle the burgeoning problem raising health alarms.
In this regard Sumit Sharma, Associate Director, TERI said that the odd-even schemes introduced in New Delhi only solved 4% of the problem and in a city like Bengaluru the effect of such schemes though would have a greater impact it would not be a long-term solution.
“Cost-benefit analysis and making the public transport system so attractive that the citizens could be enticed to use it could play a major role in curbing air pollution,” Sharma said.
Listing out the measures KSPCB took to monitor air pollution, the chairman of state pollution control board said, “The vehicular congestion in the city has increased and about 42 per cent of the pollutants are emitted from it. We will install real-time monitoring stations across all the state to monitor air pollution.”
Most of the experts conceded that environmental guidelines are widely implemented in Europe than in India, where it is rampantly flouted.
