More moderate days in PMC areas in 2024-25: Environmental Status Report

Time of India

7 days ago

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Pune: The Environmental Status Report published on Tuesday showed deterioration in air quality under PMC areas, with fewer good and satisfactory days and more moderate and very poor days, as far as AQI PM10 levels are concerned, in 2024-25 compared to 2023-24.
The data, published by Pune Municipal Corporation, showed Pune had 52 good days in 2024-25, compared to 79 in 2023-24, while the satisfactory days were 137 in 2024-25 against 145 in the previous year. The bad days went up to 3 in 2024-25 compared to just one in 2023-24. The moderate days also increased from 140 in 2023-24 to 174 in 2024-25 in a year's time, as per the data.
"Use of fossil fuels and increase in vehicular population could have caused decline in air quality," said Mangesh Dighe, head of PMC's environment department.
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"Efforts are needed to increase the use of public transport. The administration should also create more awareness about vehicular pollution. The use of personal vehicles should be discouraged," said Vaishali Patkar, an environmentalist.
Urban planners said increase in urbanisation and a real estate boom driven by redevelopment of old properties were contributing to an increase in pollution. Also, concreting of roads was adversely impacting the environment.
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Citizens said open burning of waste was leading to deterioration in air quality in the city. Baner resident Atul Kher said instances of burning in the open were causing health problems. "Instances of burning of waste along nullahs and rivers should be curbed," he said.
"The promotion of green-field citizens should be on the cards. Densification near public transport facilities like the Metro should also be done on priority.
But while doing so, the administration must ensure that the allied civic infrastructure is built simultaneously," said Ramchandra Gohad, a senior urban planner.
The ESR data also showed that the civic areas generated 2,100 tonnes of trash per day in 2023-24, which increased to 2,350 tonnes in 2024-25.
Usage of solar power went up nearly two times in a year's time. Citizens consumed 166,513 KW of solar power, out of which 61% was used by domestic users and housing societies, the data said. The data also showed that garbage collection increased by around 150 tonnes per day.