Guest Column: KSPCB, stakeholders should join hands

It’s time that we take proactive action to reduce air pollution so that we don’t go the Delhi way. Though Bengaluru and surrounding areas are not as industrialized like Delhi, we are following the Delhi example. The advantage for Bengaluru is that there is no effect from crop burning and also the winter is not as extreme as in Delhi.

KSPCB has drawn an action plan that needs to be implemented soon with stakeholders doing their part which is vital for a good end result. The action plan has short, mid and long term implementation period.

A single agency such as KSPCB cannot do everything by itself. Others who are contributing to pollution should also join hands. Public should also take part in the issue through awareness and do things on their part.

Air quality monitoring is an integral part of the issue but should not be overdone. The proposed installation of monitoring devices by BBMP may be good enough along with the state and central monitoring stations.

Emphasis should be on reducing pollution rather than installing devices at every nook and corner. For example, the entire country of Canada has about 150 air monitoring stations. Emphasis there is on reducing the pollution, not just getting data.

In our country, the “low cost device” has become a business as everyone is jumping into it without understanding the basics and issues. Whether it’s a research outfit or a single owner operating from the garage, all wants to be in the low cost device business by creating hype and taking advantage of the gullible government and public.

These devices won’t reduce pollution, they just give out some numbers that may not be correct. One should not make decisions just by using those data. If we can spend more time and money on reducing air pollution, that is the way to go.