NEW DELHI: To control dust, one of the major constituents of air pollution, the Central Pollution Control Board has come out with guidelines suggesting measures to handle construction material.
“Transport routes for carrying construction material and wastes to be identified, preferably to avoid residential, schools and hospital areas. Transport materials that are easily wind-borne need to be covered by a sheet made of either jute, tarpaulin, plastic or any other effective material,” say the new guidelines issued to all states.
“It is thereby important to adopt alternative measures that are effective ex-location of loading/unloading sites, build higher barricades to arrest dust generated at ground levels. Besides, sale of construction material from roadsides to be prohibited and dumping and storage of construction material for use
in on-going projects on public roadsides is also prohibited,” they add.
Use of water sprinklers is recommended as a dust mitigation measure. However, where water is a precious commodity, its use needs to be rationalised. These guidelines are significant considering the huge construction going across metros and even smaller cities.
The apex pollution control body also suggested that contractors associated with construction works and construction waste handling need to display a board at the site indicating dust control measures being adopted, and dust’s affect on health, including problems such as eye, nose, and throat irritation.
All builders, and contractors engaged in construction and demolition activities have also been asked to submit an undertaking to the government department concerned on measures adopted to control dust.