Environment ministry to install five pollution sucking devices across Mumbai

The Maharashtra environment ministry has decided to install pollution-sucking devices at traffic junctions across Mumbai. The city will become the first to get such devices. According to the ministry, the technology has been jointly developed by the National Environment Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Mumbai, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), and E-square. "This device can suck pollution from 1,000 sqft of area around its installed location. We will identify the most polluted locations to install these devices," said environment minister Ramdas Kadam.

Kadam said the urban air quality is a matter of concern all over the world. "Most air pollution generation spots are at traffic junctions. The suspended dust also worsens the air quality. As a pilot project, we have decided to install these devices at five most polluted locations in Mumbai – near the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Sion bridge, Vivekananda Marg in Bandra (W), Shreyas cinema in Ghatkopar and LBS Marg in Bhandup," he added.

The air pollution sucking device will use low-speed wind generators and filters of an appropriate size for a long operation cycle. "With the help of thermal oxidisers, and within reasonable efficiency, the devise removes carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons. The wind generators dilute the polluted air," said an official involved in the project. Kadam said people's health was getting adversely affected due to the polluted air. "People are more frequently suffering from asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. As a result, mortality rates are also high. Indian traffic junctions are characterised by high pollution density. The number of people exposed to toxic air is very high. Therefore, we want to install air pollution sucking devices across Mumbai, and then subsequently in all cities of Maharashtra," he added.

The cost of one such device is approximately Rs1.50 lakh. "The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has approved the proposal and very soon chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray will inaugurate the project," he said. Meanwhile, environmentalist Rushi Agarwal said that besides installing these devices, the government should also focus on promoting public transport. "There are some standard operating procedures to reduce air pollution. No one, however, is interested in implementing them. The government also needs to develop cycling tracks. Technology is good but its has to be sustainable as well," Agarwal said.