New Delhi, Feb 24 (IANS) Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav on Tuesday presided over the signing of MoUs among NCR states and specialised institutes for paving and greening of urban roads, said an official.
Four Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) were signed among the Public Works Department (PWD)/Urban Development Departments of Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, CSIR-Central Road Research Institute (CSIR-CRRI) and the School of Planning and Architecture (SPA).
The MoUs are in line with the standard framework for paving and greening of urban roads issued by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in the National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas, the official said in a statement.
The framework aims to improve road cross-sections, right-of-way (RoW) utilisation, greening measures and road maintenance protocols across the NCR.
The need for such coordinated implementation has been emphasised in high-level review meetings to prepare structured action plans for control of dust from roads and open areas, the statement said.
Yadav said that air pollution remains a major challenge in the Delhi-NCR region and noted that the annual action plans of NCR states and their respective municipal corporations have been reviewed, with Delhi alone having 448 action points.
Highlighting the significant role of dust pollution, the Minister said that dust is a major contributor to PM10 pollution in the region.
He said that a special task force needs to be constituted to evaluate the social impact of the initiative, and roads most affected by traffic congestion and dust pollution should be scientifically mapped.
Emphasising the role of greening, Yadav said that bushes requiring less water should be planted in open areas, with around 30 suitable species already identified by the MoEFCC.
The Minister appreciated the coordinated efforts of CAQM, NCR state governments, CSIR-CRRI and SPA in advancing long-term structural measures for control of dust pollution from roads.
He emphasised the need for time-bound implementation and robust digital monitoring.
The CSIR-CRRI and SPA were requested to integrate greening components into their road design plans, he said, suggesting that such activities could be taken up under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives in the NCR.
The Minister added that the greening guidelines already issued by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) must be incorporated into development plans.
–IANS
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