Ranchi Municipal Corporation has ordered a detailed assessment of air pollution-related illnesses, pollution hotspots and PM10 patterns as the city prepares a five-year plan under the National Clean Air Programme. The measures were discussed at the 12th meeting of the city-level implementation committee chaired by municipal commissioner Sushant Gaurav on Friday.
The RMC health wing has been instructed to prepare and submit a report on illnesses and health impacts linked to air pollution within the corporation’s limits. The move is intended to establish a clearer link between pollution levels and public-health risks in Ranchi, where the civic body is also seeking more detailed information on the sources and timing of particulate pollution.
Officials from the Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board have been asked to identify the five most polluted and five least polluted sites in the RMC area using scientific data. The pollution control board has also been requested to provide information on the times of day when PM10 concentrations reach their highest and lowest levels.
The corporation has directed officials to prepare a scientific route plan for ambient air-quality monitoring across different city zones. A dedicated team will be constituted to carry out the monitoring programme. The proposed route plan is intended to help officials collect readings across multiple areas instead of relying on isolated monitoring locations.
The civic body will also prepare a five-year saturation plan for Ranchi under the National Clean Air Programme for submission to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. According to the report, the plan will cover paver-block installation, road repairs, tree plantation, modernised crematoria and waste management.
The saturation approach is designed to extend anti-pollution infrastructure and mitigation measures across all major emission sectors and the wider urban area. It differs from implementing individual interventions at selected locations, with urban local bodies and state pollution control boards expected to scale their resources to achieve broader coverage.
Construction and road dust have also been addressed in the directions issued by the municipal commissioner. All under-construction buildings and construction sites have been instructed to use green shading nets to control dust emissions. The measure places responsibility on active construction sites to limit the spread of particulate matter beyond their premises.
The horticulture wing has been asked to identify locations suitable for large-scale tree plantation and prepare an action plan to increase Ranchi’s green cover. The corporation has additionally directed officials to organise awareness programmes in schools, colleges and public spaces.
Gaurav said the corporation was prioritising pollution-source control, expansion of green cover, scientific monitoring and public participation. He said the goal extended beyond pollution control to creating a clean, healthy and safe environment for present and future generations. The next stated milestones are the preparation of the health-impact report, the identification of pollution sites and monitoring periods, and submission of the five-year NCAP plan to the Union environment ministry.
