Did GMC divert fund for checking air pollution to repair roads, drains?

Ghaziabad: A city-based environmentalist has filed a PIL in the Delhi high court alleging Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation (GMC) diverted funds received under the 15th Finance Commission to check air pollution in the city for the construction of drains, RCC roads and interlocking tiles.
Under the National Clean Air Programme, the central govt allocates funds to non-attainment cities, which includes Ghaziabad, for taking up work and projects to reduce air pollution.It has been alleged in the PIL that funds were misused, which has not led to any significant improvement in the city's overall air quality. Cities are declared non-attainment if, over a five-year period, they consistently do not meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for PM 10 or NO2.
Petitioner Sushil Raghav said he filed an RTI query on the allocation of the NCAP funds by the GMC.
“The query revealed that in the 2020-21 financial year (FY), the civic body received Rs 121 crore in two tranches under Ambient Air Quality grants for pollution abatement measures. Of this sum, Rs 39.8 crore was spent by the GMC on the construction and maintenance of roads and drains, supply of ornamental trees, construction of park walls and interlocking tiles among other things. This violates the micro-action plan submitted by GMC,” Raghav said. In the PIL, filed in Delhi HC on May 8, Raghav urged the court that records of funds sanctioned by the Union finance ministry to GMC under the National Clean Air Programme from FY 2020-21 to FY 2023-24 be presented before it to ascertain whether the funds have been used for air pollution abatement or not.
In the 500-page petition, Raghav submitted that Ghaziabad city is one of the regions of NCR which is severely affected by air pollution. Of 56 cities in North India, for which data on PM 2.5 levels in 2021 were considered in a study by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), Ghaziabad was found to be the most polluted, followed by Delhi, Faridabad, and Noida, the plea stated.
“Since the funds are allocated by the Union finance ministry under the NCAP for non-attainment cities, I have made the ministry of finance through finance secretary and secretary (expenditure), CPCB, CAQMS, NCR Planning Board, UPPCB and GMC as respondents,” the petitioner said.
A senior GMC official, who did not wish to be named, told TOI they were unaware of the PIL.
“The PIL states that the corporation spent the central govt grant meant for pollution abatement, on constructing roads. Don’t well-paved roads reduce dust pollution?” the official said.
The petitioner said the RTI query revealed GMC in FY 2020-21 carried out 113 works and spent Rs 39.8 crore. “Of them, works for plastering boundary wall, constructing footpath and painting a park in front of ward 55 cost the GMC Rs 4.8 lakh. How do works of this nature have any difference in bringing down the pollution level?”
The Delhi HC is expected to take up the matter soon.
On Wednesday, the city’s air quality index (AQI) was recorded at 218 (poor), as per CPCB data.