Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)-Dhaka ranks highly amongst the world’s major cities in terms of poor urban air quality.
A project of World Bank titled “Better Air Quality and Safe Mobility for the People of Dhaka City” made the revelation, said a press release of Washington-based global lender on Tuesday.
Bangladesh has been implementing the Clean Air and Sustainable Environment (CASE) Project since 2010.
The project identified brickfields and transport as the two biggest polluters of the country.
The pilot project aims to tackle pollution from two of the country’s biggest polluters as well as ensure safe mobility for people in the capital, the press release added.
The project has successfully established eleven Continuous Air Monitoring Stations (CAMS) in major cities in this regard.
The CAMS operate round the clock throughout the year with expected data capture of 85 percent.
The Department of Environment (DoE) is now preparing the daily Air Quality Index (AQI) based on the data generated from the CAMS.
AQI effectively describes ambient air quality relative to national air quality standards and is available on the CASE Project website (www.case-moef.gov.bd).
The project adopted new energy efficient cleaner brick making technologies – improved Zig-Zag, mini-tunnel kiln (Horizontal Shaft Brick Kiln) and alternative building materials. Three pilot kilns have been completed and another four pilot kilns have been initiated with the project’s assistance for materialising its aim.
A study on Emission Inventory Source Apportionment, Dust management and Industrial Emissions are at the final stage.
The findings of the study will help to understand the major sources of the particulate matter pollution and also impact of specific sources on pollution management.
The project has successfully completed the construction of thirteen foot over bridges and seven more are in progress.
Thirty six km of reconstructed or repaired sidewalks, drains and road improvements in Mohammadpur and Tejgaon have been completed.
project is also supporting intersections improvement and new signal lights, which are under construction.
It is expected that these interventions will improve traffic management system with better coordination with Dhaka Metropolitan Police.
Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) has been focusing on improving public transport in Dhaka city.
The project completed the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) feasibility study and DTCA has completed an important milestone by signing and beginning the detailed design study in November 2013.
The World Bank has a commitment of US$ 62.2 million for the project.
The project is implemented by - Department of Environment (DoE), Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) and Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA).
BBN/ANS/AD/15Apr14-12:55 pm (BST)