Pune: In a bid to strengthen grassroots efforts under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) recently organized an interactive workshop titled “Towards Cleaner Air in Pune” for staff from Zone 1 and Zone 2 ward offices. The session aimed to deepen their understanding of air pollution and its health consequences, enabling them to take effective, localized action.
Environment Officer Mangesh Dighe noted that this initiative is part of the Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) activities under NCAP. He stressed the need for internal capacity building and revealed plans to extend similar workshops to other city zones, schools, colleges, and vulnerable communities.
Assistant Regional Transport Officer Amar Desai spoke about the transport department’s efforts to curb vehicular pollution. He discussed the “No PUC, No Petrol” directive, which prohibits fuel sales to vehicles without a valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate. He also raised concerns about pollution from derelict vehicles and called for active participation in the vehicle scrappage initiative.
The event brought together a diverse group of attendees including medical officers, engineers, and officials from the education and garden departments. It was jointly facilitated by local NGOs Parisar, Centre for Environment Education (CEE), and Prayas Health Group. Key discussions included Pune’s air quality trends, health risks of air pollution, and technical concepts such as the Air Quality Index (AQI), emission inventories, and pollution source analysis.
An engaging breakout session led by Kunal Jaiswal of CEE encouraged participants to brainstorm practical ward-level solutions. Topics included tackling open waste burning, enhancing waste collection systems, and promoting public health awareness. A consensus emerged on the need for greater citizen engagement, with participants pledging to focus on improving community involvement in air quality efforts.
