Bengaluru’s third grant for improving air quality does not impress citizens.
Story so far: The central government has green-lit a ₹116 crore grant for projects targeted at improving Bengaluru’s air quality. The Urban Development Department’s (UDD) technical committee has prepared a micro-action plan containing eight projects for the Chief Minister’s Office’s (CMO) approval.
- The BBMP will receive a large share of the pie to improve junctions, develop footpaths, and build nurseries and parks. A slice of the grant will also flow into the BMTC’s coffers to add electric buses to its fleet.
- In its current action plan, the Palike has incorporated the construction of the controversial waste transfer station, even as a similar project is under investigation for tender-related discrepancies.
Why it matters? The Centre had earlier apportioned two grants for improving the city’s air quality, amounting to ₹279 crore and ₹140 crore each. While the former allotment has projects underway, projects under the latter are still awaiting approval from the CMO. Another problem is the environmental and physical damage caused by multiple development projects initiated simultaneously.
- Lawyer and researcher Aishwarya Sudhir demanded an audit of the new grant to increase transparency on how the authorities spend their money.
- According to her, roadworks, construction dust, and metro expansion have made it difficult to walk or breathe in the city. Scientists, too, argue that large-scale construction has made the city hotter.