KSPCB: ITPL remains most polluted in Bengaluru

Bengaluru: In a downside to the city’s IT strides, pollution levels are showing little improvement around the ITPL with the December data of the Karnataka State Pollution  Control Board revealing the area remains the worst affected with an air quality index (AQI) of 112, followed by Domlur, which stands at 111. In November, the AQI around ITPL was 114.

Scientific officer of the KSPCB,  Nagappa blames the heavy traffic around ITPL for the poor air quality. “As there are a number of offices at ITPL, the traffic is heavy here. It’s the vehicular exhaust that causes most of the pollution,” he explains. 

With  city roads now groaning under the weight of  70 lakh vehicles, vehicular exhaust contributes  over 42 per cent of its air pollution,  dust being the second biggest contributor. Although the KPSCB believes the city needs more flyovers and wider roads to fight air pollution,  environmentalists beg to differ. 

A consultant with the Centre for Sustainable Development (CSD), Mahesh Kashyap, warns that an increase in the number of flyovers and road expansion can only encourage more vehicles to ply on the roads. 

Instead he feels that public sharing of cars and the Metro Rail can do more to reduce pollution levels in the city. "Unlike in India where  single occupant cars largely ply on the roads, Jakarta and Indonesia have made it compulsory for a minimum of two occupants in a car in certain areas," he points out, suggesting that IT parks should not encourage parking for private vehicles.

Mr Kashyap also warns that idle running vehicle engines do a lot to contribute to the air pollution as well. Noting   that the Metro Rail has brought down the level of pollution considerably in the areas that it serves, he  suggests that of the 40 electric buses, which the BMTC plans to operate on city roads,  10 should be deployed in the Whitefield area.