Air quality sensors in 16 junctions soon: Vijayawada Municipal Corporation

VIJAYAWADA: Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) is going into a fast-paced action mode in order to improve air quality in the city. Towards this, it is to instal air quality sensors at 16 select locations to assess the city’s pollution levels. Additionally, five fountains are also planned at the main junctions to bring down dust pollution besides mechanised sweeping machines to clear dust on roads.

The Union government had sanctioned Rs. 31 crore to the city under the 15th Finance Commission grants for setting up air quality monitoring system. The air quality sensors will be fixed to electrical poles at road dividers with the focus being on junctions where vehicular movement is high.

VMC commissioner V Prasanna Venkatesh said that this would help in initiating measures to control pollution levels. He said that the sensors will be set up on KT Road, Mahanadu road, Patel Road, MG Road, Dabakotlu centre in AS Nagar, among other locations. He said that they would procure additional sweeping machines.

Venkatesh said that the corporation has launched initiatives like plantation programmes that will help transform Vijayawada into a green city. This is apart from its canal bund beautification programme. He said that in view of monsoon, they have almost completed desiltation of drains and they were taking steps to check water-logging in low-lying areas.