Stakeholders Meeting on Local Air Quality Management Plan for Golghar and Shaheed Smarak areas in Patna

On August 13, 2024, an orientation meeting for the Local Air Quality Management Plan was convened with stakeholders at the Bihar State Pollution Control Board (BSPCB) in Patna. This initiative, spearheaded by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) in collaboration with BSPCB, the Patna Municipal Corporation, and the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), is focused on managing air pollution around two historic landmarks in Patna: Golghar and Shaheed Smarak.

The meeting commenced with a welcome address by Dr. S. Chandrasekar, Member Secretary of BSPCB, followed by opening remarks from Shri D.K. Shukla, Chairman of BSPCB. Representatives from BSPCB, Patna Municipal Corporation, the Traffic Police Department, the Regional Transport Office (RTO), Urban Planning, and NIT Patna were present.

Mr. R. Suresh and Mr. Dheeraj Mehra from TERI presented the findings from their study, which included an assessment of the current air quality status, monitoring and modeling techniques, sources of pollution in the Golghar and Shaheed Smarak areas, and proposed pollution control strategies for these hotspots. Dr. Neha from TERI also shared preliminary results from the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) surveys and displayed indicative Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials intended for public awareness.

The meeting concluded with a constructive discussion, during which stakeholders provided valuable observations and feedback for the report. The final report is anticipated to be released by BSPCB in the first week of September 2024