Meeting on Air Pollution in Vizag

 

On 18^th Feb 2025 a community exercise regarding Air Pollution with citizens and stakeholders was held at Public Library.

Prominent citizens and subject matter experts were invited to record their views. It was a privilege to have Dr Sharath Guttikunda from Urban emissions.info, Dr DP Mishra from Surface solutions and Ms Manjula Boyna of LAYA Resource Centre, joining on Zoom, and Prof Mukund, Geetham College - member District Traffic Advisory Committee, Mr B Appalanaidu Div Mgr., APRTC, Mr.T V Nageswara Rao, Social Activist, Sohan Hatangadi, Environment Campaigner & Prof Balamohan Das, Ex Vice-Chancellor Nagarjuna University and other citizens in person.

The summary of the discussions were as below:

1.    Since the Air Pollution status was Moderate to Poor in Vizag, the Graded response plan should have been implemented under the National Clean Air Plan submitted by APPCB to the GoI, but since the plan was only suggestive no action is being taken. 

2. Referring to data from Urban emissions.info website, key pollutants in Vizag were Industrial Pollution, PM2.5 and PM 10, apart from Road & Construction dust.

3.  Even though CPCB guidelines of 2003 mandated at least four Continuous Monitoring Stations for Ambient Air, and as per population there should have been 20 such Stations in Vizag, the city had only one CAAQMS – like 80% of the 131 cities with poor AQI - and nine MANUAL Monitors and hence the pollution was probably being under reported.

4.  As per APPCB website Monitoring Stations of large industrial polluters like Vizag Port and LVS Power Ltd., Air Quality monitors were not working for over three months.

5.  After a report by CAG in Sept 2023, for failure to carry-out a Source apportionment Study, which was due by 2021, APPCB had appointed Andhra University to conduct, and the report is expected to be received by end March 2025.

6.    The APPCB has indicated in a news report in Deccan Chronicle in Nov 2023 that they are grossly short-staffed to take any action on defaulting industries for emissions. (https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/in-other-news/241123/appcb-fails-to-check-pollution-in-vizag-officials-say-regional-branch.html ) 

7.    Dr. Sarath Guttikunda of Urban emissions.info indicated that even with the limited data available it was clear that Visakhapatnam had a problem. He mentioned that while Continuous Monitoring Stations had a cost of about Rs. 2.0 Crores, similar ones which only measured the critical PM 2.5, costed about 20L, which is the most worrying factor in AQI.

     Due to change in criteria matrix from PM 2.5 to PM 10 under the NCAP, PM 2.5 was not being reported in the National Portal and gave a skewed indication of improvement in Air Quality.From the data available key factors for Pollution in Vizag were Industrial Pollution and Vehicle Pollution. 

8.  Mr Appalanaidu Div Manager of APSRTC said Buses have been reduced in Vizag from 800 to 650 as the private vehicle vs population ratio was high. AC buses were not successful in Hyderabad and hence not tried in Vizag. Mini buses may not be viable. Over the next few year APSRTC proposed to increase/replace their fleet with 100 Electric buses. APSRTC needed the support of the Police to regulate Autos which blocked the Bus stops and created unnecessary idling of buses.

9. Dr Mukund of Geetham College said that with a new Road from Shiela Nagar to Sabbavaram, the 6000 Trucks of Vizag Port and 3000 Trucks of Gangavaram Port would by-pass the city and likely to reduce pollution. Efforts to enable Signal Synchronising on critical roads were not successful. Police were training Auto drivers in better maintenance of vehicles and preventing artificial congestion.

10.Dr. DP Mishra of Surface Solutions said that Studies show that clean water bodies improved Air Quality due to various reasons.

11. Ms Manjula Boyna from Laya Resource Centre said that  We should look at increasing mobility by encouraging Cycling and Public Transport. Some areas of the city had no Public Transport. We could take example of other cities and look at closing some roads during weekends etc. to reduce pollution. Though it was banned burning of Garbage continues in certain areas (and this creates problems particularly in the winter months-Dr Mukund). We must start a city level green initiative and encourage Terrace Gardens for increasing Green cover. 

12. Mr. Varun, said that Pollution monitoring of vehicles was a scam and no checking was done before issuing certificates. Dr Mukund said that neither the equipment was calibrated not was any recording of data done to hold them responsible.

13.  Capt MVR Murthy, Advocate said we must look at reducing coal Pollution in the city.

14. Mr Sohan Hatangadi, Environment campaigner said that we must pursue with the Administration on the original plan of having 25 Miyawaki Forests (also called Oxygen Bombs). Only 1.5 such Forests had been done. Sychronising of Signals may not help in the city due to the shorter distance between signals, but better city planning must be done in newly developing areas. We must look at mini buses for some routes to improve connectivity. A number of buses are seen travelling almost empty even on main roads.

The group jointly decided on the following course of action to be taken up:

 1.    Discuss with APSRTC how to improve connectivity including AC buses and Mini buses and      Private buses to encourage Public Transport. Drivers to stop vehicles in bus bays on not in       middle of road.

2.  Meet with the City Police to identify and regulate artificial congestions areas to ensure         smooth flow of traffic particularly city buses. Campaign to encourage stopping of vehicle         engines at Signals with digital time to reduce pollution and fuel.

3.  Write to the Road Transport Organisation on Stricter and more focussed pollution             checking such as done for Helmets.

4.    Request GVMC and Collector to take up

a.    Installation of more Continuous Monitors in the City as per CPCB guidelines

b.    APPCB action on non working AQ monitors of Industries

c.     Why Graded Response Plan for Moderate to Poor Air quality was not being implemented and pursued based on the poor air quality.

d.    Identification of possible cycling tracks,

e.    No Vehicle zones on Weekends,

f.     Safer footpaths for pedestrians which could all lead to lesser vehicles on the roads.

g.    Miyawaki forest expansion in the city and Plant trees and maintain green spaces. Encouraging Terrace Gardens in Apartments through incentives.

h.    Strict Action on burning of Garbage

i.      Synchronisation of Signals on a trial basis

5.    Pursue with APPCB

a.    To comply with the CPCB guidelines and increase the number of Continuous Monitoring Stations to 20. Consider maintaining the Industry Monitors as part of this grid. Can look at only PM2.5 Monitors to bring down the cost per unit by 90%.

b.    To ensure working of Pollution Monitors in Industries and imposing penalties and Calibration of these monitors on a periodic basis by using Mobile units of the APPCB.

c.     Transparency in sharing of the Source Apportionment Study and engage third parties to identify solutions.

d.    Why Graded Response Plan for Moderate to Poor Air quality was not being implemented and pursued with the Administration.