As the pollution levels at Punjab’s grain markets have increased eight times as per a study conducted by Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), the state government has decided to control dust pollution under its Mission Tandrust (healthy), launched by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on 5 June.
An official spokesperson said that recurring pollution is the main cause of respiratory and lung diseases among labourers, farmers, arhtiyas (commission agents) and those living in the vicinity of the grain markets. PPCB has developed certain types of machines that control the dust particles which pollute the air during the cleaning process of crops. These machines will help to keep the environment healthy inside and outside the grain markets, said the spokesperson.
Earlier, when the crops arrived in the grain markets of the state, lot of dust was flowing during cleansing process. Now the Board has developed such type of machine, which does not allow dust to flow in the air, said the spokesperson.
Meanwhile, PPCB Chairman Kahan Singh Pannu said that Board took air samples from 10 main grain markets of the state and found that Respiratory Particulate Matter (RPMs) was five to eight times more than from prescribed limit of 100 microgram per cubic meter.
He said that this dust pollution was a major danger, which was urgently needed to curb out. After discussions with the farmers, commission agents and other stakeholders, the board has developed a dust collector, which will install on mechanical grain cleaners.
These dust collectors can preserve 80 to 90 per cent of the dust particles, Pannu added.
It may be mentioned here that there are 50,000 mechanical grain cleaners in the grain markets of Punjab and six workers works on single machine. Thus three Lakh workers are affected by dust pollution. With dust mounting machines fitted on Mechanical Grain Cleaners, 90 per cent dust will accumulate in it, thereby helping to keep the environment clean.
A similar machine was tested in Asia’s largest grain market Khanna, which was successful. Board is now taking steps to make this machine mandatory on mechanical grain cleaners in all the grain markets.