The district administration has initiated a host of measures to improve air quality of Dhanbad district that includes two of the most polluted towns of the country, Jharia and Dhanbad.

Coal-dust-belching Jharia and Dhanbad were ranked worst and second-worst in air pollution among 287 cities by the latest report of Greenpeace India, the branch of the global environment nonprofit.

Dhanbad DC Amit Kumar on Wednesday chaired a meeting of the district-level implementation programme of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) wherein initiatives such as greening and paving major roads, installation and commissioning of continuous ambient air quality monitoring systems (CAAQMS) for real-time monitoring of air pollution, public awareness and capacity building activities, mechanised sweeping of roads and water sprinkling with help from various agencies BCCL, Dhanbad Municipal Corporation, district forest department and Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board were planned.

Instructions to install two CAAQMS was given to JSPCB on Wednesday.

Dhanbad Municipal Corporation was also asked to carry out mechanical sweeping and paving of roads after buying mechanised sweepers and also install sprinklers.

Kumar asked BCCL authorities to ensure coal is taken in covered heavy vehicles, their routes are demarcated and roads maintained. “A lot of coal dust flies around because coal is transported on uncovered tipper trucks on bumpy roads,” the DC said.

The responsibility for carrying out green-walling of roads — massive plantation alongside key roads of the coal town — has been given to the district forest department.

DC Kumar told the media that they were serious about making air cleaner. “A fund of Rs 10 crore is to be spent on different heads to mitigate pollution of which Rs 3 crore has already been given last month to the Dhanbad Municipal Corporation for buying mechanical dust sweepers and paving roads,” the DC said. “This apart, Rs 2.4 crore is to be spent on installation and commissioning of two CAAQMS, Rs 2 crore on installation of six water sprinklers, Rs 2.3 crore on greening and paving and Rs 50 lakh on public awareness and capacity building work.”

The PM-10 levels of Jharia and Dhanbad were recorded at 322 ug/m3 (microgram per cubic metre) and 264 ug/m3, respectively, alarmingly higher than the permissible limit of 69 ug/m3.