PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun Air pollution levels in Dehradun especially during the past fortnight have elicited concern from local residents with many stating that the city once famous for clean air and its sedate lifestyle is now getting nearly as polluted as Delhi. The Air Quality Index (AQI) neared 300 (poor) during the past fortnight and had been hovering around the figure till it dropped to the moderate level. According to information from the Central Pollution Control Board, the SQI in Dehradun was 181 (moderate) on Sunday. However, experts point out that lack of coordinated efforts by the departments and blatant violation of pollution control norms and other rules are deteriorating the air quality in the provisional State capital. Founder of the Social Development of Communities (SDC) Foundation, Anoop Nautiyal said that tackling pollution needs coordinated effort which is lacking in the State. He said, “The pollution control board will put up monitors, the municipal corporation will do its task and the other departments too will work in silos. The problem is that nobody is looking at the problem holistically. There has been no statement from the Health department though such levels of air pollution amount to a public health emergency. An AQI of about 300 is a death knell for Dehradun. The people relate to the issue but the political establishment is living in denial. The chief minister should have acknowledged the situation but there was not a statement from him or the chief secretary about the situation. One can find fault in each department’s working but the issue is being ignored at the top level and this apathy and denial is seeping down to the departments. Doon is on its deathbed, which is a grim and grave picture. What will stop the AQI from reaching 400 in the next few years? The sense of urgency is missing,” he said. Advocate and activist Reenu Paul shared similar thoughts, stating that rules which could mitigate air pollution are being violated blatantly. “There is door to door collection of garbage in the Rajpur area where I live but still many residents and establishments burn garbage, which contributes to the air pollution. The basic measures which should be taken are missing. There are various resorts in this area and most of them burst fireworks almost daily, adding to the pollution. Further there is no green netting at construction sites. When it comes to vehicular pollution many vehicles including Roadways buses have heavy emission with the authorities not enforcing the rules. Departments not enforcing rules. Even the police can monitor and act against aspects like vehicular pollution but there is hardly any police presence on the roads,” she said. The Uttarakhand Pollution Control Board regional officer in Dehradun, Amit Pokhriyal said that climatic factors had exacerbated the AQI in the city. “The cold weather and geographical location of Dehradun worsened the AQI which is usually moderate in the city. Vehicular pollution and other factors added to the air pollution. The air quality is expected to improve once there is a change in the weather in the coming days,” he said.
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