Dy CM stresses need to check petrol, diesel vehicles

Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara on Wednesday stressed on the need to check the growing number of petrol and diesel vehicles to reduce air pollution in the city.

Parameshwara, who also holds the Bangalore Development portfolio, suggested optimising the use of methanol as an alternative fuel for motorised transport along with the use of compressed natural gas (CNG). He said the use of electric vehicles should be promoted.

Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) commissioner N Manjunath Prasad during the C40 conference had said awareness has to be created among people about air pollution and the causes for it. “Air censors will also be installed across the city to know the air quality,” he said. The BBMP budget has even allotted Rs 20 crore for it earlier this year.

Yogesh Ranganath from Azim Premji University termed the lack of knowing the magnitude of the problem as ‘Blue sky factor’ during the conference.

“Unlike Delhi, Bangalore always has a blue sky. So, people do not realise the extent of air pollution,” he said.

He said only 24% of the people in the city were aware of the problems related to air pollution. “If more awareness is created about this, then the magnitude of the problem will be known,” he said.

BBMP plans to get technical advice from officials in London on the measures they have taken to reduce air pollution. BBMP officials are also planning to make pedestrian-friendly footpaths and provide space for cycling on TenderSURE roads.

Shirley Rodrigues, Deputy Mayor of London, BBMP commissioner Manjunath Prasad and Mayor R Sampath Raj were present at the event.