Ahmedabad – Dec 11 (LatestNewsX) – The Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) has just put two cutting‑edge mobile environmental monitoring vans into service. Purchased with funds from the Environment Damage Compensation (EDC) scheme and costing more than ₹5.76 crore, the vehicles are now covering every district in the state.
As part of a broader campaign to curb pollution, six manufacturing units in Ahmedabad have already received show‑cause notices for breaking local air‑quality standards. The vans operate in two distinct regions – one focuses on North Gujarat, Saurashtra and Kutch, while the other serves Central and South Gujarat.
They will help a network of GPCB offices in cities such as Ahmedabad (Rural, Urban and East), Gandhinagar, Mehsana, Palanpur, Himmatnagar, Anand, Nadiad, Vadodara, Godhra, Bharuch, Ankleshwar, Valsad, Surat, Navsari, Vapi and Sarigam. Under the guidance of State Forest and Environment Minister Arjun Modhwadia and Minister of State Pravin Mali, the board continues to enforce environmental guidelines and promote sustainable industrial growth while protecting public health.
Each van is fitted with sophisticated analyzers, detectors and portable instruments that can immediately gauge air and water quality on site. In the event of emergencies such as gas leaks, the vans can be dispatched straight to the scene to assess real‑time conditions. They are especially useful for monitoring chemical hubs, GIDCs, SEZs and other high‑pollution zones.
A standout feature is the integrated Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Station (CAAQMS), which tracks pollutants like PM10, PM2.5, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, ozone, ammonia, hydrogen sulphide, benzene, ethyl benzene, toluene and xylene. The rigs also carry VOC sensors, noise meters and equipment for analysing contaminants in water and wastewater samples.
This rapid on‑site assessment framework speeds up decision‑making and helps settle public complaints about pollution more quickly. During a trial run that ran until Nov 15, the van based at GPCB’s Ahmedabad‑East office conducted extensive monitoring in the industrial clusters of Vatva, Naroda, Narol and Odhav. The findings led to several show‑cause notices being issued the following Monday.
Today, one van is actively operating out of Kalol GIDC in the Gandhinagar region, while the other is stationed at Ankleshwar GIDC in the south‑central zone. GPCB has also been convening meetings with major industrial stakeholders to develop coordinated strategies to lower air pollution. Awareness campaigns are being carried out using the vans to promote safer and cleaner industrial practices.
janvi/svn
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