50 locations to manage air pollution

Mumbai: In a first, the Maharashtra government will install “air pollution controlling” devices in areas under the jurisdiction of five municipal corporations, apart from 50 locations in Mumbai. According to officials from the environment department, these devices will suck dust particles and toxic gases from around 1,000 square feet of area and blow out purified air.

Ramdas Kadam, state environment minister, said, “The number of vehicles in the state has considerably increased in the last few years. Pollution levels are especially high at traffic signals, bus stands, railway stations, toll booths, petrol pumps, airports and construction sites.”

He added that due to high concentration of dust particles in the air, health hazards had rapidly risen, which is why these devices had become necessary.

Around 50 locations in Mumbai will get these devices. Apart from the city, areas under the jurisdiction of the Pune, Nashik, Aurangabad, Nagpur and Chandrapur municipal corporations, too, will get these devices.

Mr Kadam has set up a Pune-based manufacturing company dealing in these outdoor air pollution controllers. According to him, this company, on a pilot basis, had installed these devices in Bengaluru, Delhi, Goa and Thane.

“I was informed that the company plans to install devices in 100 cities by 2019 and the company will do it free-of-cost,” he said.