Gurugram construction sites given four days to install dust-monitoring webcams

Construction sites in Gurugram have been given four days to install web cameras for monitoring dust-control compliance, with the Haryana State Pollution Control Board warning that non-compliant sites could face sealing action.

The direction follows instructions from the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), as the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) steps up monitoring of construction activity in the city. According to Hindustan Times, the board has issued show-cause notices to representatives of several construction sites measuring more than 500 square metres.

The latest action follows a compliance review in which the HSPCB had summoned around 170 project proponents and construction-site representatives. The board requires eligible projects to register on its dust portal and keep their registration details available at the site.

Construction projects must also submit a self-audit through the portal every fortnight, certifying whether prescribed dust-control measures are being implemented, according to Akansha Tanwar, regional officer of HSPCB's North Gurugram wing.

The monitoring requirements go beyond cameras. Officials said construction sites must install and operate PM2.5 and PM10 sensors or other equipment to track particulate matter. Sites are also expected to maintain dust barriers, tarpaulins, green nets or scaffolding sheets around their entire periphery.

Water sprinkling is another requirement. Vehicles carrying sand, debris or other construction material must be properly covered, while wheels must be washed before vehicles leave sites to prevent dust from being deposited on public roads.

Officials have also directed sites to carry out activities such as grinding and cutting of construction materials in enclosed areas with suitable dust-control measures rather than in the open.

The HSPCB's dust portal provides a picture of the scale of the monitoring system. The latest figures cited by Hindustan Times show 781 registered sites in Gurugram North had uploaded 6,196 self-audit reports, while 622 sites in Gurugram South had submitted 5,300 reports.

The move puts greater pressure on construction companies to demonstrate compliance rather than simply register projects. With the possibility of sealing action, the camera requirement also gives regulators a way to remotely monitor whether dust-control measures are being maintained.

For residents, the immediate issue is straightforward: construction activity is being subjected to tighter monitoring, with dust barriers, covered vehicles, water sprinkling and particulate monitoring all forming part of the compliance requirements.

The HSPCB's four-day deadline makes the latest direction an immediate enforcement issue for construction sites across Gurugram.

Sources:

https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/gurugram-news/ggm-construction-sites-to-install-webcams-or-face-sealing-101789064003155.html

https://www.livemint.com/news/caqm-pulls-up-haryana-pollution-board-over-dust-monitoring-lapses-winter-air-quality-11788949821215.html