Events of CSEC
“Launch of the Report – “Comprehensive Clean Air Action Plan for the cities of Gaya and Muzaffarpur”
Patna, September 23. The ‘Gaya and Muzaffarpur Clean Air Action Plan (GCAAP & MCAAP) Reports’ was launched by Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister Bihar Shri Sushil Kumar Modi, on September 23, 2020. The virtual launch programme was organised by the Centre for Environment Energy and Climate Change at the Asian Development Research Institute (CEECC, ADRI).
Professor Prabhat P Ghosh, Director, CEECC, ADRI welcomed the august gathering. In the special address, Professor Ashok Kumar Ghosh, Chairman, Bihar State Pollution Control Board (BSPCB) highlighted the critical aspects of air pollution on human health and other aspects of well-being. He also mentioned that small increase of Particulate Matter (PM2.5) level enhances the chances of getting infected by COVID-19 by 8%. He also shared his views on the relevance of the action plan for the effective compliance of GCAAP & MCAAP.
The consortium member Dr. Jai Asundi, Executive Director, Centre for Study of Science Technology and Policy (CSTEP), and Dr. Pratima Singh, Research Scientist, CSTEP presented the methodology and findings of the report.
In the keynote address, Shri Dipak Kumar Singh, Principal Secretary, DoEFCC, Government of Bihar, shared his concerns over the deteriorating air quality of Gaya and Muzaffarpur. He mentioned that a State Level Committee has been constituted by the Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of Bihar in order to implement the control measures suggested in the report. DOEFCC is planning to plant trees along the roads instead of end to end pavement construction. Moreover, he also assured that the control measures recommended in the report will be implemented.
The Chief Guest of the programme, Shri Sushil Kumar Modi, Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar in his presidential address highlighted the facts and figures of Bihar’s air pollution scenarios and relevant measures undertaken by the Government of Bihar. He mentioned that high level of air pollution in the city of Gaya is majorly enhanced by the sand accumulation in the river of Falgu. He suggested that the impact of the falgu river on the air pollution level in the city needs to be studied comprehensively. He also mentioned about issues of the open waste burning in the city and the outskirt where agricultural waste is burned. He said Government of Bihar has strictly banned such activities. He instructed to have covered construction sited in the cities. He said road dust is one of the major issues in the cities of Gaya. He also highlighted the fact that air pollution can increase the chances of COVID-19 infection. He mentioned that Government of Bihar will ask the Government of India to provide specific fund especially for air pollution mitigation. He also appreciated the efforts put into the development of city-specific clean air action plan, identifying sources of pollution, and suggesting effective technical as well as achievable control measures for Gaya and Muzaffarpur urban agglomeration.
As the concluding remark, Shri Alok Kumar, Member Secretary, BSPCB informed that BSPCB is planning to set up 24 monitoring stations in 23 districts of Bihar. He also mentioned that BSPCB has held a meeting with stone crushers in Gaya to resolve the problem of the dust originating due to stone crushing. Furthermore, he highlighted the prospective strategies of BSPCB to achieve the time-bound air quality management in the state, and how GCAAP & MCAAP would play an important role in implementing the strategies.
In addition, Dr. Chandrashekhar Singh, District Magistrate, Muzaffarpur, District Forest Officer, Gaya and Municipal Commissioner, Gaya were also present in the launch programme.