NOIDA: There could not be a worse time for going on a construction spree for public toilets in the city, environmentalists have flagged a concern, citing the bad
air quality of Noida because of dust pollution.
According to data sourced from the ministry of earth sciences, both the AQI and PM2.5 levels of Noida stood at 205 on Tuesday. Both are projected to be 221 on Wednesday. The acceptable range for AQI is 100.
“This is the worst time to conduct any public construction. Besides, all these toilets that are being made across the city are flouting norms. Construction material is lying in the open, there is no sprinkling of water. With the
air quality of NCR on a decline, this should be controlled immediately. We have asked the respective Authorities to control the construction spree and prevent dust pollution. But so far, there has been no action on the ground,” said Vikrant Tongad, a city-based environmentalist.
The regional office of the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) said they had sent multiple notices to the contractors and urged the Noida Authority to rein in the situation. The two basic construction guidelines laid down by NGT are that all construction material should be covered and sprinkled with water regularly.
Noida Authority officials, however, sounded confident that the constructions would be wrapped up soon. “This is not the time for GRAP. While 42 public toilets were inaugurated on Tuesday, we will try to wrap all construction of the remaining 20 before the air quality worsens in city,” said SC Mishra, project engineer, Noida Authority.
Contractors building toilets often leave construction material uncovered
