Comprehensive Clean Air Action Plan for the City of Patna
6.3
Way Forward
Development plays an important role in shaping a city’s economy. Although Patna has developed at a rapid rate, this development has come at the cost of its air quality. Unfortunately, the resultant increase in air pollution has had tremendous health impacts and it is not sustainable for the future. Patna’s rising air-pollution levels require immediate adoption and implementation of relevant mitigation measures. Various environmental consequences and the social well-being of people have to be considered while implementing the mitigation measures. Apart from this, future infrastructural development and growth for the city should be planned only after evaluating the impacts and consequences of the potential environmental damage. Our study indicates that the mortality benefits [value of a human life—around INR 2.8 crore (Madheswaran, 2007)] of implementing CMs that focus on improving environmental quality far outweigh the costs. Such measures could end up saving hundreds of lives and prevent insurmountable environmental damage. The effective implementation of pollution-mitigation policies hinges on various considerations, such as various government departments coming to a consensus and adopting a solution-driven approach. Curbing pollution requires a combined effort from government bodies, local community groups, and citizens. Policies such as increasing waste-segregation levels, increasing the mode share of public transportation, and switching to cleaner fuels will be effective only if the community actively participates in adoption and implementation of these measures. Moreover, a project management and audit unit is to be set up to ensure that the abovementioned strategies are effectively implemented as per the provided roadmap and time frame. Patna administration has already initiated actions on creating green buffer zones in various parts of the city. Steps such as end-to-end paving of roads and putting mechanical sweepers on roads have been initiated to reduce the resuspension of dust. Construction of a metro rail system is planned, which will help increase the mode share of public transport. Also, the government has initiated steps to build a waste-to-energy plant. Proactive action from the state government in implementing the suggested CMs will help improve the quality of air in the city. To make any plan effective on the ground, it is important to make citizens and communities part of the plan. By creating awareness and advocacy plans, the understanding and knowledge of the subject will increase among the masses, creating an ecosystem that will help implement the strategies in a time-bound manner. Additionally, it is of the utmost importance to build capacity of the line departments and make citizens the champions of the cause—to ensure a good quality of life for the future.
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