NEW DELHI: Cities and towns across the country where the hazardous particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) exceeds prescribed limits will now under law have to implement measures to reduce dust. It will also be mandatory for them to put in place wind-breaker of appropriate height (one-third of the building height and maximum up to 10 metres) and put in place a"water sprinkling system".For construction and demolition activities which do not require environmental clearance, the new rules prohibit "grinding and cutting of building materials in open area". This rule will be applicable for even private residential buildings.This category of buildings will be allowed to store construction material and waste only within an earmarked area. Roadside storage is not allowed and action can be taken against violators by local authorities.These measures will be meant for cities which exceed the annual prescribed limit of 40 microgram per cubic metre for PM2.5 and 60 microgram per cubic metre for PM10. These standards are part of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) developed by the Central Pollution Control Board CPCB ).According to CPCB, as many as 195 cities and towns exceeded the prescribed PM10 limit in 2016 while 31cities were over the PM2.5 standard.

Source: Economic Times January 29, 2018 01:07 UTC