AP to provide gap funding of Rs.639 crore for air pollution control
Andhra Pradesh Government will provide a gap funding of Rs.639 crore for five years to enable launching of Clean Air AP Programme (CAAP)
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Visakhapatnam Andhra Pradesh Government will provide a gap funding of Rs.639 crore for five years to enable launching of Clean Air AP Programme (CAAP).
Stating that they have finalised an action plan to significantly reduce air pollution in the urban areas mostly located near industrial establishments, AP Pollution Control Board (APPCB) Chairman A.K. Parida told Bizz Buzz that the industries should release funds under corporate social responsibility (CSR) to improve the emission standards. Automobile pollution is also another area of concern.
After addressing a meeting organised by CII in virtual mode, he said the CAAP has been prepared on the direction of Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. He said government schemes in the urban sectors will be dovetailed with the municipalities/municipal corporation resources.
CSR funds available with the local industries will be converged to implement the City Action Plans under CAAP. The State Government will release Rs.639 Crores as gap funding during the next five years till 2025-26 out of which Rs..274 crore is earmarked for Vizag and Rs.232 crore will be spent for Vijayawada.
Out of Rs.639 crore, Rs.506 crore will be provided out of XVth Finance Commission grants for Vizag and Vijayawada and Rs.133 crore will be provided out of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) for the remaining 11 municipal towns. a massive environment awareness campaign will be undertaken involving the youth, communities and all sectors of the people with the active participation of the civil society groups.
Parida said the Chief Minister has directed the APPCB to prepare an action plan to reduce air pollution in the 13 municipal towns in the State for the PM10 level of the annual average of 70-80 microgram per cubic meter to come down to less than annual average of 60 microgram per cubic meter during the next five years by 2025-26.
The 13 municipal towns are the district headquarter towns and are a part of 132 non-attainment cities in the country. Andhra University will assist the municipal towns of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Rajahmundry, Kakinada and Eluru, IIT-Tirupati will
assist the municipal towns of Vijayawada, Guntur, Ongole, Nellore and Tirupati and National Atmospheric Research Laboratory (NARL), Tirupati will help the municipal towns of Chittoor, Anantapuramu, Kadapa and Kurnool in undertaking source apportionment studies, identifying the hotspots and carrying capacity studies.
