Andhra agencies plan heavy-vehicle diversion to reduce Visakhapatnam pollution

The Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board, Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation and Regional Transport Authority will work on diverting heavy vehicles travelling from Gangavaram Port and the steel plant through Gajuwaka. APPCB chairman P. Krishnaiah announced the plan in response to concerns raised by the Greater Visakhapatnam Citizens’ Forum about air quality, pollution monitoring and emissions from port and industrial activities.

Krishnaiah said Visakhapatnam currently had eight manual air-quality monitoring stations and three continuous ambient air-quality monitoring stations. Five internet-of-things sensor-based monitoring stations were expected to be made available by November. He said about 40% of required mechanisation work at the Visakhapatnam Port Authority had been completed.

Officials were instructed to ensure compliance, and the port was directed to use chemicals approved under Central Pollution Control Board guidelines. Failure to complete the remaining mechanisation work could be considered when the port’s consent to operate is next renewed. Regional officials told the meeting that trucks were being covered with tarpaulins and that sprinklers were being used to wet the ground and limit dust.

Krishnaiah also responded positively to a proposal to extend National Green Tribunal directions applying to Visakhapatnam Port to Gangavaram Port. The citizens’ forum requested quicker integration of new monitoring stations at Harbour Park and Siripuram with the Central Pollution Control Board website. It also sought public access to industrial monitoring data and publication of the latest Comprehensive Environmental Pollution Index score and an Andhra University source-apportionment study.

The APPCB is also expected to discuss with the municipal corporation a proposal for low-cost dust monitors at construction and demolition sites. The forum said it would continue following up with the relevant agencies.