Hyderabad Clean Air Authority on the anvil

Hyderabad, Dec 20 (INN): Stating that the state government was bothered about the rising levels of pollution in Hyderabad, Minister for IT and Industries K Tarakarama Rao on Tuesday said that the state government was taking all possible measures to tackle the menace.

Replying to the question raised by MIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi in the Assembly about the rising pollution levels in the city, the minister said that the state government was monitoring the situation from time to time. He said that though the pollution levels in the capital city was not that dangerous, it was still a cause of concern for the authorities. He said that the government was strictly implementing the G.O.M.S. 20 which relates to shifting of pollution emitting industrial units to the city outskirts.

The minister said that the 1,545 industrial units were asked to shift out of the city and this would complete by the end of 2017. He said that the government was setting up sewerage treatment plant in the city at a cost of Rs 1,245 crore. He said that the government would establish Hyderabad Clean Air Authority on the lines of Tokyo City to tackle rising air pollution in the city.

Earlier, Akbaruddin Owaisi said that as per surveys, Hyderabad stood at the 24th place in Asia in the matter of air pollution. He said that the number of Asthma patients in the city were on the rise due to rising pollution levels. He urged the government to call for a meeting of people's representatives to chalk out action plan to tackle the issue of rising pollution.

In his written reply circulated among members, the minister informed that as per the Air Quality Index (AQI), the ambient air quality is in good, satisfactory or moderate range. Out of the 10 parameters being monitored, the PM10 (Particulate Matter below 10 microns size) AND PM2.5 (Fine Particulate Matter) are moderately exceeding the standards.

As per the source apportionment study, the contributors of PM10 are; (a) Vehicles - 49%; (b) Road Dust - 33%; (c) Secondary Pollutants - 8%; (d) Bio-Mass Burning - 4%; (e) Coal - 4%; (f) Cement - 2%; and contributors of PM2.5 are (a) Vehicles - 50%; (b) Coal - 16%; (c) Secondary Pollutants - 14%; (d) Road Dust - 11%; (e) Bio-Mass Burning - 7% and (f) Cement - 2%. All the stake holder departments have prepared action plan for controlling the air pollution, the minister informed.

The minister informed that water quality of the 17 out of the 19 tanks monitored by the Telangana State Pollution Control Board (TSPCB) are not meeting the water quality criteria. Monitoring data indicates that the water is contaminated due to discharge of untreated sewage. To improve the water quality, interception and diversion of nalas and providing of STPs have to be taken up. The HMWS&SB, HMDA and GHMC are the implementing authorities, he said.

The TSPCB has real time noise monitoring stations at 11 different places in GHMC area. As per the monitoring data, the noise levels are exceeding the noise standards upto 15%. The State Government has issued a GO. MS. No. 172, dated 12.10.2010, in which prescribed authorities for Zoning of area is Director Town and Country Planning, Implementation of ambient air quality standards and rules is the Commissioner of Police in Municipal Corporation area and for vehicle related noise pollution and horns is the Road Transport Authority. Provisions have been made for penalty and prosecutions, the minister informed.