Combating pollution a shared responsibility: Uttar Pradesh minister
Minister of state (independent charge) for environment and forests Arun Saxena also said his department has spoken to various departments like urban development, home, housing and others on the need for a coordinated response.
Uttar Pradesh’s environment ministry has sought a coordinated and calibrated interdepartmental approach to keeping the worsening air quality index (AQI) under check, minister of state (independent charge) for environment and forests Arun Saxena said on Monday.
Saxena also said his department has spoken to various departments like urban development, home, housing and others on the need for a coordinated response.
“We have asked home department officials to coordinate with police and work out a strategy to ensure that there are no traffic jams as each jam contributes to worsening AQI. We have also sought help from the urban development department for getting municipal corporations to use anti-smog guns, ensure water sprinklers are operational in parks and at roadside crossings,” he said in a conversation with HT.
“We are also trying to create awareness among students and government staff on the need to be alert about protecting the environment. For instance, we will stress on car pool wherever possible,” Saxena said.
He added that he has decided to start the awareness sessions from his office and staff.
“I will start from my office and then take it forward. Combating pollution is not just a government responsibility. The government will do its part but then shouldn’t individuals stop people from burning waste in the open? In that sense I feel it’s a shared responsibility and that’s why I am emphasising on awareness sessions in schools and colleges so that the young become part of this mission for a cleaner environment,” he said.
He said that municipal corporations have also been directed to guard against burning waste in the open.
Among other things, it has been decided to send only buses meeting or exceeding BS-VI standards to Delhi/NCR and issue mandate for all 2188 industrial units in NCR to move from coal-based fuel to biofuel, the minister said. For the last three years, Uttar Pradesh has also introduced a dust control audit registry, a portal to document measures taken to reduce air pollution by dust generating projects like building roads, infrastructure, area development, industrial constructions.
