Bharat Coking Coal Ltd (BCCL), under glare from the state pollution watchdog for contributing to the worsening air quality in Dhanbad, is planning to procure 14 sprinklers and three dust-sweeping machines before March.

The company will also set up a continuous ambient air quality monitoring station at Jagjivan Nagar colony within the same time frame.

“We were waiting for the model code of conduct to be lifted before initiating the tender process for procuring the equipment. The tender will now be issued by the end of this month,” BCCL general manager (environment) E.V.R. Raju told The Telegraph on Wednesday.

He said the PSU was planning to procure fog/mist sprinklers, which were more effective in controlling pollution caused by coal dust than static sprinklers.

“These sprinklers will prove very useful in mining areas, BCCL staff quarters and other colonies located near the collieries. We will also procure three dust-sweeping machines at a cost of around Rs 1.2 crore each. After signing a memorandum of understanding with Dhanbad Municipal Corporation (DMC), we will hand over the dust-sweeping machines to them for use in different localities,” Raju said.

He said the DMC was already operating five dust-sweeping machines for the last two months in different residential colonies.

Raju said the continuous ambient air quality monitoring station at Jagjivan Nagar would be installed with the help of the Central Mine Planning and Design Institute.

“We have plans to install two more such stations in Katras and Lodna after March,” he said.

The company also plans to set up at least one PM10 analyser in each of the 40 active collieries located across the 12 administrative areas of BCCL besides carrying out planting drive in over 40 hectares of coal dump and developing parks in residential colonies.

These pollution mitigation measures are part of the coal major’s comprehensive action plan prepared in accordance with Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board’s (JSPCB) directive at a meeting in Ranchi on June 13 last year.

In October last year, the analysis of air quality life index by Energy Policy Institute at University of Chicago (EPIC) had revealed that the pollution levels in Dhanbad could reduce the lifespan of its residents by 4.7 years.

Earlier in January 2019, Green Peace India released its 2017 report in which Jharia was listed as the most polluted Indian town with PM10 levels at 295 microgram per cubic metre. Dhanbad, with PM10 levels at 238 microgram per cubic metre, was the ninth most polluted town, while Sindri, with PM10 levels of 158 microgram per cubic metre, was ranked 37 on the list of 313 towns and cities.

PM10, or particulate matter 10 micrometres or less in diameter, is extremely dangerous for humans.