With Gurugram continuing to have “very poor” air quality conditions for the second day in a row, the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) issued an advisory to various projects in Gurugram, asking them to fit ‘smog guns’ or water sprinklers in their projects in order to reduce levels of dust pollution.
As per the official figures, the Air Quality Index in Gurugram was recorded to be 315 on Friday, slightly better than the previous day’s AQI of 353 but still in the ‘very poor’ category. However, the slow speed of the wind and the resultant temperature inversion may lead to a deterioration in the air quality due to the emissions of dust from construction areas, internal roads, and open areas in large residential complexes, as warned by the authorities.
The notice has been dispatched to over 180 group housing societies, condominiums, plotted colonies, & commercial complexes distributed in prominent residential as well as business areas such as DLF City, Golf Course Road, Golf Course Extension Road, Sohna Road, New Gurgaon, Cyber City, and Manesar. High-rise residential societies as well as large-scale commercial structures have been categorized as critical sectors based on magnitude as well as density with a contribution to localized dust emissions.
Under the guidelines, high-rise societies have been advised to install at least one smog gun or water-sprinkling system for every four towers, with an additional unit required for every subsequent set of four towers. The systems must be installed at adequate heights and fitted with directional nozzles to ensure uniform coverage of internal roads, parking areas, common spaces, and peripheral stretches without causing waterlogging or inconvenience to residents.
“Treated water from sewage treatment plants should be used as far as possible to avoid wastage of potable water,” an HSPCB official said, as per ET Realty, adding that the systems should ideally be operated during early mornings and evenings. The advisory further recommends intensified operation on days when AQI slips into the poor, very poor, severe, or severe-plus categories, or when meteorological conditions such as low wind speed and high dust concentration prevail.
Apart from mechanical dust suppression, the pollution control board has proposed a range of additional measures to minimize particulate emissions within residential complexes. These measures include regular sweeping of internal roads, a strict ban on burning of waste and dry leaves, covering of construction material stored inside premises, and management of diesel generators.
Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs), as well as management committees, are also directed to ensure that smog guns and sprinkler systems are maintained regularly. The aspects of nozzle washing, electrical safety standards, as well as preventing water seepage/damage to structures, are emphasized as important operational aspects in this regard.
In an effort to enhance accountability, a representative officer/member of each housing society is required to be nominated in order to monitor the working of dust control measures. Societies are required to maintain a logbook indicating the date, time, and duration of its usage, which may be required to be inspected by concerned authorities during inspection visits.
The advisory was distributed to the municipal commissioner and the deputy commissioner of the city of Gurugram. The efforts are preventive in nature and do not have any punitive intentions but are only for the protection of the general public and the citizens of Delhi who might be affected by common colds and respiratory infections.
Observing the situation, urban planners and ecologists state that even though smog guns are no magic wands for combating air pollution, their effective deployment in larger residential and commercial setups could help minimize the normalized levels of dust in polluted regions during peak pollution times. Smog guns, along with tougher standards for buildings, better road maintenance, and decreased pollution from vehicles, can help cities like Gurugram tackle pollution during seasonal times.
Citizens have been encouraged to follow the advisory in collaboration with RWAs and the concerned authorities. Community participation is very important in these efforts. This is for the health and well-being of every citizen, stated the HSPCB official.
The advisory, which comes against the backdrop of Gurugram continuing to deal with smog incidents, is a sign that regulators may become more active when it comes to managing air quality concerns at the micro level, even within private real estate developments.
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