In the first phase, the project will be implemented in NCR Region- Sh TVSN Prasad
Haryana has taken significant strides in strengthening its institutions for air quality measurement and monitoring
Punjab Newsline, Chandigarh June 3-
Haryana Chief Secretary TVSN Prasad said that the State Government is preparing a rupees 10,000 crore Haryana Clean Air Project for Sustainable Development which will be implemented in the State in a phased manner. In the first phase, the project will be implemented in NCR districts of the State and later, it will be replicated in the entire State.
TVSN Prasad stated this in the Governing Committee meeting of Haryana Clean Air Project for Sustainable Development held under his Chairmanship, here today. He said that this ten-year comprehensive project would be funded by the World Bank. However, assistance of NABARD and HUDCO would also be taken for effective implementation of the project.
While underlining the significance of Haryana Clean Air Project for Sustainable Development, Sh TVSN Prasad emphasised the need of collective efforts by all stakeholders to eliminate the problem of air pollution. He maintained that the State has taken significant strides in strengthening its institutions for air quality measurement and monitoring. Four state sample-testing laboratories have been established in the State. Apart from this, 29 Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQM) stations and 39 Manual Ambient Air Quality Monitoring (MAAQM) stations are operational in different districts. The State will build on its current infrastructure by expanding the AQ monitoring network, setting-up a command control centre, increasing resource capacity and citizen engagement, he added.
It was informed in the meeting that the project has three focus areas aimed at addressing air pollution comprehensively. The initial phase involves substantial enhancements to Haryana's air quality monitoring infrastructure. This encompasses the establishment of a cutting-edge laboratory and the modernization of four existing ones. Additionally, a dedicated program management unit will be established to oversee project implementation. To ensure sustained success, the initiative includes comprehensive training programs for stakeholders engaged in air quality management.
Recognizing the multifaceted sources of air pollution, the project allocates the bulk of its resources to directly address the issues of transportation, industry, construction and road dust, biomass burning and Household Pollution through sectoral interventions.
Transportation: The project targets promoting cleaner vehicles on the roads by electrifying public transportation fleets for intra-city and inter-city travel. It aims to incentivize the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) for private use, especially three-wheelers and four-wheeler taxis. To phase out older, more polluting vehicles, higher incentives are offered for scrapping them in exchange for EVs. Additionally, a model for setting up automated testing stations (ATS) will be designed to monitor vehicle health.
Industry: Efforts are directed towards encouraging industries to operate cleaner by providing financial incentives to switch to clean fuels for boilers and promoting the use of cleaner diesel generator sets through retrofitting or purchasing generators that comply with stricter emission standards.
Construction and Road Dust: Addressing the significant contribution of this sector to air pollution, initiatives will focus on increasing green spaces in urban areas through the establishment of biodiversity parks and green belts. Capacity building for dust and waste management, including the creation of standard operating procedures for relevant stakeholders, is also prioritized. Additionally, measures will be implemented to improve construction and demolition waste collection systems.
Biomass Burning: The project aims to combat stubble burning by promoting in-situ crop residue management practices. This involves raising awareness about the benefits of bio-decomposers to accelerate the decomposition of crop residue, reducing the need for burning. Research initiatives will further explore methods to monitor and minimize secondary emissions from agricultural fields and livestock farms.
Household Pollution: Acknowledging the significant contribution of household cooking practices to air pollution, the project will launch extensive public awareness campaigns to educate residents about the advantages of clean cooking practices and encourage a shift towards cleaner cooking solutions.
The Additional Chief Secretary Environment, Forests and Wildlife Anand Mohan Sharan, Additional Chief Secretary Finance and Planning Anurag Rastogi, Additional Chief Secretary, Public Health Engineering A.K Singh, Commissioner and Secretary ,Urban Local Bodies Vikas Gupta, Principal Secretary Transport Navdeep Singh Virk, Director, Agriculture Sh Rajnarayan Kaushik and other senior officers were present in the meeting whereas, Chairman, Haryana State Pollution Control Board P. Raghavendra Rao attended the meeting through video conferencing.