JALANDHAR
A capacity-building workshop on Air Quality Management,
organized under the National Clean Air Program (NCAP), was held today at Hotel Ramada,
Jalandhar. The workshop was conducted under the guidance of Dr. Krunesh Garg, Chief
Environmental Engineer, Jalandhar. NCAP is a national initiative by the Ministry of
Environment, Forests, and Climate Change, Government of India, aimed at reducing air
pollution in the 131 most polluted cities across the country.
The program covers a broad range of activities including source apportionment studies,
capacity building for officials, planning and implementation of air quality management
strategies, mitigation measures, progress monitoring, and auditing.
Jalandhar city is one of the nine cities in Punjab selected under NCAP, alongside Ludhiana,
Amritsar, Khanna, Mandi Gobindgarh, Dera Baba Nanak, Dera Bassi, Naya Nangal, and
Patiala. The city has received an allocation of Rs. 45crores from the Government of India
under this initiative to reduce air pollution and improve air quality.
The event was organized in collaboration with the Centre for Study of Science, Technology,
and Policy (CSTEP), a prominent Institute of Repute (IoR) under NCAP. The workshop saw
participation from officers of the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), Municipal
Corporation Jalandhar, Traffic Police, Department of Forests, Department of Transport, and
representatives from key air-polluting industries in the city.
During the workshop, representatives from CSTEP provided an overview of the NCAP
program, outlining its key components with a focus on Jalandhar’s specific challenges.
Topics covered included the effects of dust emissions from roads, vehicular pollution,
industrial sources, and the burning of solid waste. Strategies for reducing Suspended
Particulate Matter (SPM) levels in the city were discussed, along with measures to accelerate
progress in improving air quality.
An interactive session followed, where officials and industry representatives engaged in
discussions on practical steps to address air pollution.
Dr. Karunesh Garg concluded the event with a detailed lecture on the activities carried out by
PPCB to control air pollution in the state. He emphasized the critical need to eliminate the
use of single-use plastics and urged all concerned departments to take concrete actions to
reduce pollution levels in Jalandhar. Dr. Garg also called upon the Municipal Corporation of
Jalandhar to take proactive measures for effective solid waste management, which is essential
in reducing air pollution caused by the burning and mishandling of waste. Traffic police
officials were encouraged to adopt smart traffic management techniques to alleviate
congestion and reduce air pollution hotspots.
The workshop was a significant step toward fostering collaboration between government
agencies, industries, and the public to ensure a cleaner, healthier environment in Jalandhar
and beyond.