Like weather, release pollution reports too: Karnataka Pollution Control Board

BENGALURU:  Member Secretary, Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB), Srinivasulu on Wednesday said that along with weather reports, pollution updates with various parameters too should be released. This will help citizens convert the information into action and instead of engineering-focused solutions alone, people also can find solutions from an ecological perspective, he said.

Speaking at the India Clean Air Summit-2022, organised by the Centre for Air Pollution Studies (CAPS) at the Centre for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP), Srinivasulu said the current situation of pollution and climate change is purely due to ignorance. “Changing our behaviour and perception can lead to an overall change in how we perceive and act in a situation. Acting to protect ourselves from air pollution and climate change need to be localised,” he said.

Dr Pratima Singh, Head of CAPS, said looking at air pollution using a climate lens can help find a way to a secure and sustainable environment. “Working in silos is no longer an option if we want implementable solutions. By bringing together different communities, the gaps in knowledge can be bridged and solutions that work can be found,” she said.

At the day-long conference, experts examined how India’s energy transition to renewable energy would impact the dual crises of air pollution and climate change and what measures would help this transition.
KV George, Senior Principal Scientist and Head, Air Pollution Control Division, CSIR- NEERI said, “When a technology is implemented, behavioural change is needed. Studies should be undertaken to ensure that the measures are locally relevant and usable by the people. We cannot impose our solutions on people. The ground level analysis is a must.”