PMC makes air quality sensors mandatory for big real estate projects in Pune for real-time pollution monitoring

The PMC has constituted a task force committee that would decide on the ways to implement the initiative, Warule said on Friday.

“The committee will have to decide on what kind of sensors should be installed by real estate developers at construction sites, as they are in the range of Rs 40,000 to Rs 4 lakh and are based on various parameters. We will identify the sensors and the same have to be installed at the construction site by developers as these sensors have to give real-time data online to the centralised dashboard of the civic body,” he said.

“The Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) has started the implementation of installing air pollution sensors at construction sites of projects of more than Rs 500 crore. The PMC is trying to implement the same in its jurisdiction,” said Warule, who is in charge of the Civic Environment department.

He said that the PMC, along with the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), organised a meeting of all stakeholders, including the real estate developers association, to discuss its implementation in Pune. The initiative will be implemented with the assistance of World Resource Institute (WRI) India, a global non-profit organisation that works towards the protection of the environment, Warule said.

The Central Pollution Control Board had earlier issued guidelines for real estate developers to install 25-feet-tall tin sheets at the boundary of construction sites and sprinkle water regularly at the construction site to settle down the dust generated due to ongoing work.

“There were also instructions that the wheels of vehicles moving out from the construction site should be washed and then allowed to ply on city roads. There was a lacklustre approach by the real estate developers in following the guidelines, and the air pollution continues to increase,” he said.

As per the guidelines laid by the state Pollution Control Board, it was necessary to install air quality sensors at the construction sites to record PM 2.5 and PM 10 particles so that steps can be initiated to mitigate pollution if it is beyond the set mark.

“The PMC would direct the real estate developer to initiate immediate steps to reduce air pollution if it crosses the set mark. We will also suggest steps to be taken by the developer at the construction site, and if the real estate developer fails to reduce the air pollution, then they will be penalised,” said Warule, adding that this is aimed at avoiding health issues faced by the people due to construction activities.

Prashant Waghmare, City engineer, said that with the boom in the real estate industry and ongoing road construction, the air pollution in the city has surged drastically, and hence, installing air quality sensors at construction sites is important.