Lung-shaped billboards on traffic signals to sensitise citizens on air pollution: Civic Chief

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

The Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation (CSMC) municipal commissioner, G Sreekanth, today underlined that the civic administration will be displaying billboards with a display of lungs model, at every traffic signal in the city to alert the citizens about the air quality index (AQI) in the respective areas.

It may be noted that the municipal corporation has planned to install air quality sensors and each sensor will be able to measure the presence of pollution in a radius of 5 km. Through real-time data recorded by the sensors, the information on billboards will be updated continuously.

Besides, the colour coding system has been used. The white coloured-lungs will change their colour to Red (dangerous), Yellow (moderate) and Green (good) as per the status of air quality. The billboards will sensitise the citizens about the danger lurking on all due to pollutants seen through the naked eye and unseen ones.

Under the initiative of ‘Clean Air and Better Health’, Asar Social Impact Advisors and USAID, have organised a Media Leadership Workshop on Air Quality for local journalists, organisations, related offices and students, in a local five-star hotel today morning. Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) sub-regional officer Dr Prakash Munde, USAID project management specialist (environment) Soumitri Das, Programme Lead and Air Quality Researcher, Council of Energy Environment and Water (CEEW) Tanushree Ganguly, Founder Project Director - SAFAR Dr Gufran Beig, city pulmonologist Dr Shreehas Bardapurkar and president of Deepshikha Foundation Manisha Chaudhari were present on the dais.

The municipal commissioner also elaborated in detail about the efforts being taken by the CSMC under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) to overcome the menace of air pollution like procuring EV vehicles by the office, developing a dedicated bicycle track; installing EV charging stations at an affordable cost; undertaking plantation in road dividers; clearing encroachments to free the left turns of the roads; erecting vertical gardens; starting water fountains etc to curb the threat of air pollution.

The experts and speakers on the occasion pin-pointed the role of media and the need to attract citizens' participation in keeping the city pollution free. The discussion on how air pollution is creating an impact on the health of citizens was also discussed at length in the workshop.

MPCB explained how they are monitoring the air ambients through manual systems and technology-based systems. They also displayed the continuous ambient air quality monitoring van on occasion.

The experts hoped the active participation of media will help change the future of the city, and its air and overcome challenges through reports sensitising people about the core issues and attracting their involvement.

Asar’s Communications and Engagement Strategists (CES) Virat Singh gave a welcome address, Suhas Joshi conducted the proceedings and Badri Chatterjee proposed a vote of thanks.