Ludhiana MC initiates massive plantation drive under NCAP at Rs 29 crore

Tribune News Service

Nitin Jain

Ludhiana, February 5

The Municipal Corporation (MC) has initiated a massive plantation drive under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) at the cost of Rs 29 crore, officials have said.

Of the total 46 works spread across eight Assembly constituencies under the MC limits, 19 works have already been completed at the cost of Rs 14.18 crore while the rest 27 works were in progress at the cost of Rs 14.73 crore.

The development assumes significance as Ludhiana has figured among 20 most polluted cities in the country in a latest national study conducted by Climate Trends and Respirer Living Sciences recently.

Taking serious note of the situation, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjeev Arora reviewed the current status of funds received and spent under the NCAP during a meeting with MC Commissioner Sandeep Rishi here recently.

The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) member from Punjab in the Upper House of Parliament told The Tribune on Monday that the MC had initiated 46 plantation works at the cost of Rs 2,891.53 lakh across eight Vidhan Sabha segments falling under the MC limits, of which 19 works have already been completed at the cost of Rs 1,418.35 lakh while the remaining 27 works were in the advanced stage of completion at the cost of Rs 1,473.18 lakh.

Worst in Punjab

Ranked 14th most polluted city in the country, Ludhiana has emerged as the worst polluted city in the state when it comes to the PM10 pollution level. However, Mandi Gobindgarh, which has ranked 10th (PM2.5) and 15th (PM10) most polluted city in India, has the maximum PM2.5 pollutants in Punjab. Amritsar has ranked 16th most polluted city in the country with respect to the PM2.5 pollution level.

While the Ludhiana West constituency got the maximum share of Rs 856.36 lakh, the minimum of Rs 6.92 lakh was being spent in the Sahnewal segment area falling under the MC limits.

Among other constituencies, Atam Nagar got Rs 399.46 lakh, Central Rs 328.64 lakh, East Rs 133.82 lakh, North Rs 643.52 lakh, South Rs 205.79 lakh, and a sum of Rs 317.02 lakh was being spent across different parts of the city.

Of the 19 completed and 27 ongoing works, one has been finished and two were underway in Atam Nagar, five completed and seven in progress in Central, two finished and two underway in East, four completed and six in progress in North, one underway in Sahnewal, two finished and one in progress in South, three completed and six underway in West while two works have been finished and two were underway across different parts of the city.

Ludhiana had got a whopping Rs 98 crore for environment protection under the NCAP between 2018 and 2023 but the pollution levels reached an alarming situation during the period, according to the latest report.

Of the total allocated funds, Ludhiana utilised Rs 56 crore, which accounted for almost 58 per cent of Rs 98 crore allocation but the most hazardous pollution levels in the city had gone up by almost 24 per cent during the past five years, the NCAP study has pointed out.

The study report showed that PM10 pollutants in Ludhiana rose from 106.4 in 2019 to 131.8 in 2023, which accounted for an increase of 23.9 per cent while the PM2.5 pollution level went up from 53.2 in 2019 to 60.9 in 2023, which was 14.5 per cent increase over the past five years.

It had led to Ludhiana becoming the 14th most polluted city in the country.

Amritsar and Mandi Gobindgarh in the state were also listed among the 20 most polluted cities in India with maximum pollution levels, the national-level NCAP study has said. While Ludhiana has been the worst among three most polluted Punjab cities with respect to the PM10 pollution level, Mandi Gobindgarh has the maximum PM2.5 pollutants in the state.

The study revealed that Ludhiana got the maximum funds under the NCAP in Punjab and Chandigarh as well but little more than half of the allocated amount could be spent for environment protection between 2018 and 2023.

Chandigarh had got Rs 28.783 crore, of which Rs 12.96 crore was utilised, accounting for 45.03 per cent of the total allocated funds, which had helped in bringing down the PM2.5 pollution level by 5.6 per cent while PM10 pollutants went up by 13.6 per cent from 2018 to 2023.

Among other Punjab cities, Amritsar had got Rs 73.25 crore, of which Rs 65.86 crore was spent, accounting for 89.91 per cent utilisation, despite which PM2.5 pollution level went up by 18.4 per cent and PM10 pollutants rose by 5.9 per cent, Pathankot and Dera Baba Nanak got Rs 4.73 crore, of which Rs 1.66 crore was utilised, Dera Bassi got Rs 1.115 crore, of which Rs 42 lakh was spent, Jalandhar got Rs 30.045 crore, of which Rs 2.63 crore was utilised, despite which PM2.5 pollution level went up by 0.6 per cet and PM10 pollutants decreased by 12.2 per cent, Khanna got Rs 5.18 crore, of which Rs 2.04 crore was spent, despite which PM2.5 pollutants increased by 3 per cent and PM10 pollution level went down by 1.9 per cent, Mandi Gobindgarh got Rs 5.269 crore, of which Rs 2.8 crore was utilised, Naya Nangal got Rs 2.718 crore, of which Rs 67 lakh was spent, and Patiala had received Rs 14.86 crore, of which Rs 2.96 crore as utilised, which helped in cutting down the PM2.5 pollution level by 1.8 per cent and PM10 pollutants by 17.1 per cent from 2018 to 2023.

The study had revealed that the PM10 pollution level in the state’s biggest and largest city, in terms of area and population close to 20-lakh, was recorded 106.4 in 2019, 98.3 in 2020,117.1 in 2021, 133.8 in 2022 and 131.8 in 2023.

The PM2.5 pollutants in Ludhiana were recorded at 53.2 in 2019, 45.1 in 2020, 54.2 in 2021, 61.9 in 2022, and 60.9 in 2023.

The five-year study examined the annual concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10 in non-attainment cities from 2019 to 2023 from the continuous ambient air quality monitoring system (CAAQMS) data.

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