Environment report rings alarm bells for City Beautiful

State of Environment: Chandigarh-2014 brings into focus rising respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM) level in the air, increasing urbanisation in the periphery and high generation of solid waste. Chandigarh Tribune takes a look at city’s environment and what the report suggests for a greener city

Rajinder Nagarkoti

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 6

While green cover, environment and the quality of air in the City Beautiful are considered to be better than other places in the country, the State of Environment: Chandigarh-2014, a report prepared by the Department of Environment, Chandigarh Administration, has sounded alarm bells for the city. 

Besides, the report also makes certain recommendations for improving the environment in the city. 

Further, the report says, “One of the major points of concern for the UT Administration is the change of the land use pattern in the peripherial zone bringing more area under urbanisation, respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM) level crossing its permissible limits and generation of high solid wastes”.

Air: High RSPM level a cause of concern

Respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM) level in the city is 105 microgram per cubic metre (mpcm), which is higher than the permissible limit of 60 mpcm. A higher RSPM is a cause of concern as burgeoning vehicular traffic is leading to its increase at various places. Diesel-run vehicles, mainly auto-rickshaws (5,471 registered with city), are the main source of the higher level of RSPM in the city. This was revealed in the ‘State of Environment Chandigarh-2014’, a report prepared by the Chandigarh Pollution Control Committee.

However, the S02 (sulphur dioxide) and N02 (nitrogen dioxide) levels of the city always lie below the permissible limits under the ‘National Ambient Air Quality Standards 2009’ of India.

The ambient air quality of Chandigarh is monitored at five major places of the city — Punjab Engineering College, Industrial Area, Kaimbwala village (representing village area), Sector 17 (a commercial place) and IMTECH, Sector 39. These areas are located in different parts of the city and are hence, covering almost the entire city.

Generation of solar energy: UT better placed

The UT Administration is putting its best effort to generate solar energy. The Administration has already installed 100 SPV (solar photovoltaic) plants in the city. UT Adviser Vijay Kumar Dev had recently revised the solar power generation target from 10MW to 30MW by the end of 2022.

As on date, the UT has installed rooftop SPV plants, with an overall capacity of 5 MW, over 50 government buildings. The Administration plans to install another 10 MW SPV plants over the next five years. Besides, buildings have been identified for installation of solar power projects in the financial year 2015-16. These include Inter-State Bus Terminus (ISBT) in Sectors 17 and 43, the MC waterworks and the multi-level parking lot in Sector 17.

In the latest report released by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), the Chandigarh Administration stands first in the installation of rooftop solar projects under the government category followed by Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. 

Chandigarh ranks third in the overall list, which also includes private and government sanctioned projects. Gujarat and Punjab lead the list in that order.

Water: Level of groundwater has seen a fall

The groundwater level of Chandigarh has declined at a fast pace over the last decade. Due to excessive withdrawing and comparatively lesser annual replenishment, the level of deep aquifers has been suppressed on an average of 4 m in 6 years at different locations across the city. Data shows a gradual decrease in the total replenishable groundwater resources and the available groundwater resource. 

Demand to rise by 150% by 2036

According to the report, the water requirement of the city, which is 426.50 million liters daily (MLD), is expected to go up to 594.51 MLD by 2036. Out of this, the total domestic requirement is expected to increase from 158.25 MLD in 2011 to 254.25 MLD in 2036, while the industrial/commercial requirement is estimated to rise from 29.09 MLD to 35.40 MLD. 

Solid waste management: A lot needs to be done

The Municipal Corporation spends crores of rupees on purchase of garbage-lifting vehicles, garbage bins, and rehris. However, it has miserably failed to put in place the basic mechanism for collection and segregation of garbage at the household level and at the Sehaj Safai Kendras (SSKs). In the absence of such a mechanism, the garbage, which can be recycled after proper segregation, is being dumped at open spaces. 

What is recommended to improve city’s environment 

• A coordinated approach, in consultation with the governments of Punjab and Haryana, may be adopted to ensure implementation of the Punjab New Capital (Periphery) Control Act, 1952, and stop further expansion of satellite towns by the urban development authorities of the two states, PUDA and HUDA.
• The green belts, including forests, should be checked strictly to prevent any biological damage and deterioration of the quality of land.
• Solid waste characterisation at the generation point level should be studied and the working of Sehaj Safai Kendras and Khad Banao Kendras should be optimised.
• Projects for energy generation from biodegradable municipal waste consisting of fruit and vegetable (mandi waste), household kitchen, restaurants, hotel and garden wastes should be promoted.
• Small industries recycling and reusing solid waste materials should be promoted. 
• To control air pollution, it is proposed that clean and energy-efficient technologies may be promoted in the industries and incentives be provided for minimisation of smoke emissions and adoption of latest air pollution control devices.
• To control vehicular pollution, existing public transport may be improved, alternative fuels such as CNG and propane, may be promoted by offering more subsidies and better facilities like free parking etc.
• Diesel-run vehicles, mainly auto-rickshaws, which are the main source of RSPM in the air of the City Beautiful, should be prohibited within the city.
• Mass Rapid Transport System (MRTS) may be executed in conjunction with the satellite towns of Panchkula, Zirakpur, Mohali, Dera Bassi, and Kharar to reduce floating vehicular population in the city. Elevated roads may be planned for long-route vehicles.
• Continuous air monitoring systems should be used to cover the remaining areas of the city for more effective checking and to know the best possible reasons behind it.
• The states adjoining the city should also take strict measures to control seasonal stubble burning, brick kiln emissions and diesel-based public transport vehicles entering the city. 
• Solar energy utilisation throughout the city should be maximised.
• Rainwater harvesting should be encouraged at household levels also.

Waste figured out

• The city generates 370 tonnes of waste daily.
• 270 tonnes of waste goes to the garbage processing plant at Dadu Majra. The remaining 100 tonne is dumped at the dumping ground in Dadu Majra.
• With the MC has only 53 dumper placers to lift garbage from 550 garbage bins in the city, garbage is being lifted from majority of bins on alternate days.
• On daily basis, the MC is only lifting garbage from around 190 bins. In some sectors, garbage is being lifted once in 3 days, once a week or once a fortnight.

Bio-medical waste doubled in four years 

The bio-medical waste has doubled in four years (2009 to 2013). In 2009, there were 578 healthcare facilities, which produced 1,201 kg of bio-medical waste. But in 2013, the number of healthcare facilities increased to 715 and bio-medical waste to 2,091 kg. 

Green cover: 38.04 %

The report also focuses on the city’s green cover. It states that as per the India State of Forests Report-2013, the forest cover in Chandigarh is 17.26 sq km and another 10 sq km is under tree cover. The UT’s 25.42 sq km area comes under the Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary. Thus, the total green cover of Chandigarh is 53.26 sq km, which amounts to 38.04 per cent of the total geographical area.

4,000 employees clean the city

There are 36 Sehaj Safai Kendras in the city. The MC has nearly 4,000 employees to clean the entire city. Nearly 1,200 employees are regular whereas the remaining employees were hired through contractors.