SHUBHANGI SHIFA
Ranchi, Jan 16: The Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) has been allocated over Rs 25 crore to purify and improve the Air Quality Index (AQI) of Ranchi. The Urban Development Department issued an allotment order in this regard.
Notably, under the 15th Finance Commission, in this financial year 2022-23, funds are given to three ‘million plus cities’ of the state including Ranchi, Dhanbad, and Jamshedpur.
The Central Government had made a budgetary provision of Rs 261 crores for this financial year from the Tide Fund to improve the air quality. Under this, more than Rs 25 crores have been given to Ranchi.
Talking in this regard, Deputy Mayor Sanjeev Vijayvargiya said, “We have been allocated the amount through the Urban Development Department by the 15th Finance Commission.”
When asked for plans for clean air, the Dy Mayor said that meetings are to be held soon in this regard, so that plans can be formed to purify the air in the city.
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These decisions were taken after Ranchi and Jamshedpur along with Dhanbad were added to the list of top polluted cities in the country as per reports from the Central Pollution Control Board.
Meanwhile, at present, the AQI in Ranchi is 149 (poor), while that of Dhanbad is 156 (poor), and Jamshedpur is 154 (poor). The air quality index in Ranchi generally goes up to the level of 160 in the winter, while the index is considered fine only when it is below 100.
Sources have claimed that as per the reports, Jamshedpur was the most polluted city in the pollution board’s index. The air there is worse than in Ranchi. After this, the central government asked the state government to work by preparing an action plan. All the standards of air pollution had been marked and directed to work.
The state government has been asked to increase the scope of air quality monitoring, to prepare a long-term plan by studying the pollution emanating from industries, vehicles, road dust, construction activity, domestic fuel, and DG sets. Under this, the state government will work towards purifying the air by preparing an action plan.
On the other hand, the World Health Organisation (WHO) released an alert about the pollution levels in Jharkhand. As per the reports of 2022, Dhanbad was one of the most polluted cities, whereas, of the 43 cities and towns of the state, Ranchi was fifth.
Meanwhile, as a result of the pollution, residents of the capital city have been breathing polluted air in their own homes. It is affecting the lungs. Doctors believe that as a result of pollution, the age of people is decreasing on an average by 10-15 years. People are falling prey to lung-related diseases due to smoke inhalation. However, diseases related to the lungs were earlier found in people after the age of 50.
