PMC Mandates Air Quality Sensors at Major Pune Construction Sites to Combat Dust Pollution
PUNE: In a decisive move to address the city’s escalating air pollution crisis, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has announced that all major construction and infrastructure projects must now install sensor-based air quality monitoring systems.
The new mandate, formalized in a circular issued by Additional Municipal Commissioner (Estate) Prithviraj BP, targets all public and private residential, commercial, and infrastructure developments with a built-up area of 5,000 square metres or more. These sites are now compulsory required to monitor particulate matter, specifically PM2.5 and PM10, in real-time.
The civic body’s action aligns with directives from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), issued under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. The urgency of the situation is underscored by a 2022 report from the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), which identified the construction sector as a primary source of dust pollution, contributing nearly 23 per cent of total PM10 emissions.
To ensure the integrity of the collected data, PMC conducted a co-location study in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), located in Pashan, to evaluate various sensor manufacturers. Only sensor models that comply with the stringent technical specifications outlined in Annexure-A and are listed in Annexure-B will be permitted for installation. The civic body has committed to periodically publishing an updated list of approved sensor manufacturers on its official website.
In addition to the mandated sensors, construction sites must also install LED indicator systems. These displays will show current dust pollution levels, allowing site workers to implement immediate preventive measures based on the real-time air quality data. Furthermore, all air quality data captured from these sites will be integrated into a centralised monitoring system accessible directly by the PMC administration.
The circular mandates the strict implementation of comprehensive dust control measures detailed in Annexure-C, alongside action guidelines corresponding to the pollution intensity shown by the LED indicators.
PMC has set a tight compliance timeline. Existing and ongoing projects that fall under the specified criteria must install the required monitoring systems within 15 days from the date the circular was issued. New projects are granted a 15-day period calculated from the commencement of on-site construction work.
The corporation has issued a strong warning against non-compliance, stating that failure to adhere to the new rules will lead to punitive actions, including the issuance of show-cause notices, stop-work orders, and other penal measures under applicable laws.
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