News

24 Sep 2020

No registration of diesel vehicles in Gaya and Muzaffarpur: Bihar Dy CM Sushil Modi

Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi on Wednesday said the state government has banned registration of new diesel vehicles in Gaya and Muzaffarpur in view of the alarming level of air pollution in both the cities. He said new registration of only electric vehicles would be allowed in both the cities.
 
PATNA: Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi on Wednesday said the state government has banned registration of new diesel vehicles in Gaya and Muzaffarpur in view of the alarming level of air pollution in both the cities. He said new registration of only electric vehicles would be allowed in both the cities.
 
Speaking at an event of the Centre for Environment Energy and Climate Change (CEECC) at the Asian Development Research Institute (ADRI), he said the state government would also identify hotspots of air pollution in Patna in collaboration with IIT-Delhi.

Modi said 24 new air monitoring stations would be set up in 23 districts in the next three months at the cost of Rs30 crore. At present, six such stations in Patna, two each in Gaya and Muzaffarpur and one at Hajipur were working successfully.

Quoting a study of Harvard University, he said the air pollution also increases the danger of Covid-19 infection as it affects lungs.
Modi also highlighted Bihar’s air pollution scenario and relevant measures taken by the state government. He pointed out that high level of air pollution in Gaya is majorly enhanced by the sand accumulation in the Falgu. He suggested that the impact of Falgu river on the air pollution level in the city needs to be studied comprehensively.

Modi also mentioned the stubble burning in the open. He said the state government has strictly banned such activities. He said the government has instructed builders to have covered construction sites in the cities. He said road dust is one of the major issues in Gaya.

Modi also virtually released two reports on ‘Gaya Clean Air Action Plan’ (GCAAP) and ‘Muzaffarpur Clean Air Action Plan’ (MCAAP).

Ashok Kumar Ghosh, chairman of Bihar State Pollution Control Board (BSPCB), highlighted the critical aspects of air pollution on human health and well-being. He also mentioned that a small increase of particulate matter (PM2.5) level enhances 8% chances of getting infected by Covid -19.
 
Principal secretary (environment, forests and climate change) Dipak Kumar Singh shared his concerns over the deteriorating air quality of Gaya and Muzaffarpur. He mentioned that a state level committee has been formed by his department in order to implement the measures suggested in the report.
 
Singh said the department is planning to plant trees along the roads instead of pavement construction. Moreover, he also assured that the control measures recommended in the report would be implemented.