Pune is intensifying its efforts to combat air pollution by empowering local governance at the ward level, as demonstrated by a recent comprehensive workshop titled “Towards Cleaner Air in Pune.”
Organised by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) under the aegis of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), the session brought together key officials from Zone 1 and Zone 2 ward offices. The primary objective was to deepen their understanding of the multifaceted challenges posed by air pollution and to equip them with the knowledge to address the associated health risks within their respective jurisdictions. Mangesh Dighe, the Environment Officer at PMC, underscored that this initiative forms a crucial part of the Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) strategy under the NCAP. He emphasised the critical need to sensitise internal stakeholders within the municipal corporation, highlighting future plans to extend similar capacity-building sessions to officials in other municipal zones, as well as to schools and communities that bear the disproportionate burden of air pollution’s impact. This phased approach indicates a commitment to a city-wide mobilisation against air pollution.
The workshop also featured insights from the Regional Transport Office, with Assistant Regional Transport Officer Amar Desai providing updates on the department’s ongoing pollution control initiatives. A key policy highlighted was the “No PUC, No Petrol” regulation, which aims to enforce emission standards by restricting fuel access to vehicles lacking valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates. Desai also drew attention to the significant environmental hazards posed by abandoned vehicles, advocating for a more robust implementation of the vehicle scrappage policy to remove these polluting sources from the city’s landscape. The collaborative nature of the workshop was evident in the diverse participation from various civic departments, including health, engineering, education, horticulture, and law enforcement. This cross-departmental engagement underscores the recognition that tackling air pollution requires a unified and coordinated effort across different arms of the municipal administration. The PMC also collaborated with prominent local non-governmental organisations – Parisar, Centre for Environment Education (CEE), and Prayas Health Group – leveraging their expertise and community networks to enrich the workshop’s content and outreach.
The training curriculum covered a comprehensive range of critical topics, including the direct and indirect health effects of air pollution on citizens, an analysis of Pune’s specific air quality trends over time, and essential technical aspects such as the Air Quality Index (AQI), the interpretation of emissions data, and the crucial task of pollution source mapping. This multifaceted approach aimed to provide ward-level officials with both the understanding of the problem and the tools to identify and address local pollution sources effectively. A significant highlight of the workshop was an interactive breakout session led by Kunal Jaiswal from CEE. This segment fostered active participation, with attendees brainstorming practical and feasible solutions that could be implemented at the ward level. Key areas of focus included addressing the persistent issue of open waste burning, improving the efficiency and coverage of waste collection systems to prevent such practices, and developing effective strategies for increasing public awareness about air pollution and its health consequences. A strong consensus emerged among the participants regarding the paramount importance of citizen involvement in achieving cleaner air. Attendees pledged to prioritise community engagement as a core strategy in their local pollution control efforts, recognising that sustainable change requires the active participation and ownership of the city’s residents.
This bottom-up approach, empowering local communities to become agents of change, holds significant promise for long-term improvements in Pune’s air quality and the creation of a healthier urban environment for all.
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