Rs 19 crore sanctioned to tackle air pollution in Faridabad
The Union Government has sanctioned around Rs 19 crore in the current financial year for a project aimed at tackling rising pollution in the city.
According to sources in the Municipal Corporation, Faridabad (MCF), the budget for the Centre-sponsored ‘National Clean Air Programme’ (NCAP) is likely to be spent on development works such as plantation, construction and recarpeting of roads, maintenance of green belts, cleanliness, and procurement of equipment such as anti-smog gun to improve the air quality in the city.
While Rs 5 crore has been earmarked to plant 40,000 saplings this year, Rs 6 crore is likely to be spent on the construction and recarpeting of roads.
The authorities have been directed to study factors contributing to the growth of pollution in the city and take measures to curb it.
Due to a funds crunch shortage of staff, the civic body is facing challenges in maintaining the greenery and keep the parks in a satisfactory condition.
MCF Chief Engineer BK Kardam said while a sum of Rs 19 crores has been sanctioned for the project, the civic body is expected to get more funds every year based on its performance under the NCAP.
The programme aims at achieving 20 to 30 per cent reduction in concentration of PM10 (particulate matter of diameter between 10 and 2.5 micrometres) and PM2.5 (particulate matter of diameter 2.5 micrometres or less) by the year 2024.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change had launched the programme in January 2019 as a long-term strategy to tackle the rising air pollution across the country in a comprehensive manner.
TO BE SPENT ON PLANTATION, ROAD REPAIR
According to sources in the Municipal Corporation, Faridabad, the budget for the Centre-sponsored ‘National Clean Air Programme’ (NCAP) is likely to be spent on development works such as plantation, construction and recarpeting of roads, maintenance of green belts, cleanliness, and procurement of equipment such as anti-smog gun to improve the air quality in the city.
