Beyond Trees: Gurugram's New War on Waste & Air

Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar stressed that genuine environmental protection extends beyond tree planting, calling for continuous actions against air pollution and for enhanced waste management, alongside active public participation. He spoke at a World Environment Day event in Gurugram.

During the event, Khattar launched a bioremediation pilot project and initiated a Material Recovery Facility (MRF) project. These initiatives are designed to improve Gurugram's waste segregation and recycling capabilities, addressing current challenges in cleanliness and air quality.

Highlighting vehicular emissions as a major contributor to poor air quality in the National Capital Region (NCR), Khattar announced that older vehicles, including those meeting BS-1, BS-2, and BS-3 norms, will be progressively removed. Efforts will also focus on the scientific scrapping of end-of-life vehicles and clearing abandoned vehicles from public spaces.

Additional measures include stricter monitoring of construction dust, a significant factor impacting air quality. The minister also urged residents to adopt eco-friendly practices like waste segregation at source, reducing plastic use, and embracing clean energy solutions.

Local Environment Minister Rao Narbir Singh echoed the sentiment, advocating for environmental protection to become a people-led movement rather than solely a government-driven one. He noted the persistent challenge of polythene waste despite existing bans and appealed for support in making Gurugram polythene-free.

Singh also encouraged citizens to participate in tree-planting initiatives. The event also marked the commencement of a project to supply treated wastewater to 170 parks in Gurugram via a dedicated pipeline network.