Bengal all set to implement GRAP to combat pollution
Times of India | 3 December 2024
Kolkata: For the first time, the state govt is all set to implement the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in all six non-attainment cities in Bengal to minimise the impact of air pollution on health. The decision was adopted at a meeting on emergency restrictive measures for air pollution control at the Kolkata Municipal Corporation headquarters on Monday.
GRAP is a software-driven alert system for multiple stakeholders to take immediate action to reduce pollution and measures to reduce human exposure to such pollutants. Depending on the AQI level, software-generated alerts will be sent to stakeholders for specific action. This will be a highly coordinated and concerted effort to contain air pollution and its impact on citizens' health, said a senior officer who attended the meeting.
Multiple department heads, including mayor and municipal affairs minister Firhad Hakim, principal secretary, environment, state pollution control board chairman, transport secretary, principal secretary, industry and commerce, principal secretary urban development, commissioner of Kolkata Police, commissioners of Kolkata and Howrah municipal corporations, and a scientist from the Bose Institute were present.
On the basis of the AQI, the alert will suggest requisite action. For example, manual sweeping might be replaced by mechanical sweeping. If the AQI rises significantly, construction work might be stalled for a period. If the pollution is very high, schools might be suspended to reduce the impact of pollutants on students, said a senior official.
WBPCB and Kolkata Police will jointly develop a system to punish vehicle owners based on complaints lodged by citizens if the vehicles are found to be emitting smoke. According to Hakim, who chaired a meeting at KMC on measures to curb air pollution in Kolkata, the PCB will tie up with the traffic wing of Kolkata Police and devise a plan enabling citizens to register complaints on polluting vehicles using a special helpline.
During the meeting, the PCB brass proposed to put a leash on the highly polluting Vano cars that run on adulterated fuels. "We need to restrict such cars as these have become a source of major air pollution for the city and its outskirts," said Hakim.
Regarding burning leaves during winter, the mayor asked the cops and the KMC officials to keep tabs on the areas from where the maximum number of complaints are reaching the civic headquarters. Hakim said he asked the PCB to take stern action against manufacturers of single-use plastics. "We have asked it to set up infrastructure that will enable it to track down the factories that are secretly producing the banned plastic carry bags," said Hakim.