Gurugram Residents Take Matters into Their Own Hands to Tackle Air Pollution

Residents of various housing societies and condominiums in Gurugram have been using water-sprinkling systems and anti-smog guns to mitigate dust and smog, creating a rain-like effect to settle particulate matter and improve local air quality. Environmentalists, however, warn that these measures have only limited and localized impact on pollution levels. The efforts are part of a broader community initiative to tackle air pollution in the city, which has been plagued by high air quality indexes in recent days.

Key Takeaways:

• Residents of Gurugram's housing societies, such as Rising Homes Society in Sector 92, have been using treated water from their sewage treatment plant (STP) to sprinkle from a height of 20 feet during night and early morning hours to reduce dust and air pollution.
• The STP water is used to clean the leaves of plants, allowing them to grow better, and the AQI drops by around 50 to 60 points according to private air quality monitors.
• However, experts have raised safety concerns about using STP water for aerial spray, citing the presence of particulate matter containing pathogens.
• Vipul Greens residents have also turned to anti-smog guns, citing the effectiveness of the device in reducing toxic pollutant levels.
• Meanwhile, residents of several sectors, including 46, 48, and 92, have not seen any Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) trucks sprinkling water in their neighborhoods.
• MCG has deployed 26 water trucks across the city, prioritizing busy stretches such as Southern Peripheral Road (SPR) and Golf Course Road.
• Ten truck-mounted anti-smog guns have been ordered and are expected to arrive by the end of November, with delays attributed to approvals and sanctions.

Statistics:

• Gurugram recorded a 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 132 ("moderate") on Monday at 4 pm, a marked improvement from Sunday's "poor" AQI of 236.
• The city has recorded five "satisfactory" days in the first half of October, with the cleanest air on October 7 (AQI 58).
• Gurugram has logged seven "moderate" days overall in October, but air quality plummeted to "extremely poor" (AQI 370) on October 21, the day after Diwali.

Sources:

• Ruchika Sethi Takkar, founder of Citizens for Clean Air
• Praveen Malik, RWA president of Rising Homes Society in Sector 92
• NB Nair, environmentalist and retired scientist at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre
• Amit Jindal, RWA president of Vipul Greens
• Sandeep Dhundhwal, executive engineer, MCG
• Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)
• Hindustan Times