Up in smoke

Severalof the 60 CCTV cameras installed in city’s industrialunits to monitorpollution lie defunct; GPCB issues notices, takes no action
Thick smoke rises menacingly from the chimney of an industrial unit in the city. It spreads to nearby areas, permeating the respiratory tracts of unwary Amdavadis and increasing their mortality by causing respiratory infections and diseases, lung cancer, and other cardiovascular diseases. This could easily have been prevented had Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) properly implemented its plan to install CCTV cameras to keep a watch over industrial units and monitor emissions.

However, it has failed in implementing the Air Pollution Control Plan. Reason: Several of these cameras are no longer functioning, defeating the purpose of the exercise. Emissions from 35 industrial units are not being monitored because many of the cameras stopped functioning - some, almost a year ago. GPCB installed around 60 cameras in Vatva, Narol and Naroda units in 2012. The feed was transferred through a digital video recorder to the GPCB regional office and analysed by experts for pollution. GPCB was supposed to keep an eye on the cameras but failed to do so due to lack of manpower.

Another problem is that while the initiative was taken by GPCB, the control remained in the hands of the industrial bodies. "The duty of installing and maintaining the cameras lay with the industrial bodies. We just monitor emissions from our centres. When a camera does not function properly, we send them a notice to get it repaired," says Nehal Ajmera, deputy engineer at GPCB's Ahmedabad office.

Till date, the pollution board has issued notices to 20 units over past two years but it has yielded no result. "We have sent notices to all units that are not maintaining cameras, affecting our vigilance. And GPCB has the right to take action against them. However, we need manpower to implement the order," said an officer from GPCB, Gandhinagar. Under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, all industrial units have to keep a check on the emission rate of pollutants. Under the same Act, GPCB has the power to issue directive for closure of units if they don't respond after four notices. "If a unit doesn't respond after issuing four notices, field officers go for inspection and submit a report to Gandhinagar head office. Generally, we issue show cause notice and in extreme cases, we issue closure directives," said an officer. But due to staff crunch, GPCB has failed to send field officers for inspection.

ILL-EFFECTS OF EXPOSURE

The 2014 Ambient Air Pollution data base released by the World Health Organisation listed Ahmedabad as the fifth most polluted city in India. The study measured pollution as the annual mean concentration of fine particulate matter of less than 10 microns of diameter (PM10) [ug/m3 (micrograms per cubic metre)] and of less than 2.5 microns (PM2.5) in various cities. Ahmedabad had a PM 2.5 concentration of 100 micrograms. The level of PM 10 concentration was 67 micrograms for the city, against the accepted standard of 60 micrograms on a yearly basis and 100 for a 24-hour period. Particulate matter is a complex mix of dust, pollen, soot, smoke, and liquid droplets. These particulates are mostly released from industrial areas and vehicles.

Long-term exposure reduces life expectancy by several months. Numerous deaths and serious cardiovascular and respiratory problems have also been attributed to such exposure. Therefore, as suggested by medical experts and environmentalists, it is imperative to keep a strict vigilance on these industrial units. Gopal Krishna, a Delhi-based environmentalist said, "Our initial survey has shown that around 35 per cent of the installed cameras are not functioning properly. To curb rising air pollution in the city, it is necessary to keep an eye on industrial units. If these units go unmonitored, it can cause great damage to the health of Amdavadis."

REEL RECORD

Thirty-one digital video recorders have been installed and connected to 60 cameras that cover 92 stacks of boilers or heaters in industrial areas of Ahmedabad. Here, the CCTV cameras have been installed at Vatva, Narol and Naroda. Cameras have also been installed to monitor 100 textile units in Saijpur and Ranipur. The project has also been implemented in Surat which is a large industrial hub.