VIJAYAWADA: With the city lagging behind in maintaining air quality standards under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB) has decided to provide financial assistance to the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) to promote greenery and eco-friendly development of the city. The PCB has sanctioned Rs 5.30 crore to the VMC to buy necessary machinery, improve greenery, build drainage slabs and upgrade medians.
According to APPCB officials, a few months ago, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) directed them to reduce air pollution, which is reaching alarming levels in Vijayawada. As per data, Vijayawada stands at the 45th position in India among pollution-affected cities.
Following the NGT’s direction, the PCB directed the VMC to come up with a plan to regularly carry out enforcement drives to collect dust and waste from the pavements. The other directives include cleaning roads without harming the environment and improving the green cover across the city. Following this, the VMC submitted a proposal to a tune of Rs 5.30 crore for executing various plans to reduce the air pollution, officials sources said.
Speaking to TNIE on Tuesday, VMC executive engineer (housing) V Srinivas said the civic body has identified three stretches — Mahanadu Road- Sri Ramchandra Nagar cross junction, DRM Bungalow-TTD Kalyana Mandapam Road and New Government General Hospital (GGH)-Hanumanpet — to execute various development works to the tune of Rs 2.30 crore.
Tenders for the project were finalised for the MahanaduRoad-Sri Ramchandra Nagar cross junction stretch, which spans 450 metres. The task was entrusted to Maruti Constructions, which will provide shoulder widening with BT paving, drain cover slabs and green cover at an estimated cost of Rs 90 lakh, he said.
Srinivas added that no companies participated in the tendering procedure for the remaining two stretches. As per the plan, construction of CC drains and shoulder improvement with paved paths should be developed between DRM Bungalow and TTD Kalyana Mandapam Road at an estimated cost of Rs 61.92 lakh. The third stretch — between New GGH and Hanumanpet central median — will be upgraded and footpath restoration will be taken up at an estimated cost of Rs 78.08 lakh.
Asked about the deadline for execution of the proposed projects, Srinivas said PCB officials have directed the civic body to complete the works before March 31. “We will again write to PCB officials asking them to extend the deadline as no one came forward for taking up the works in two of the three identified stretches,” he added.
The corporation is also procuring three sweeping machines at an estimated cost of Rs 2.3 crore and three water sprinklers with Rs 1 crore of the funds sanctioned by the PCB.
“Though there was a delay to choose between BS-IV and BS-VI pollution emission norms for purchasing the proposed machinery, we have finally bought three sweeping machines of BS-IV emission standards and tenders are yet to be finalised for procuring the three water sprinklers,” said VMC executive engineer (vehicles) V Chandrasekhar, adding that soon after the procurement of vehicles, sanitation staff will be trained to operate them to clear dust and waste on roads and pavements.