Noida: Noida Authority on Wednesday said it spent Rs 3 crore on water sprinkling last year in a bid to keep the dust pollution caused by construction work in check and improve air quality. The drive, conducted for half of last year, cost each of its 10 divisions up to Rs 5 lakh each month, its officials said.Environmentalists, however, said authorities had done little to improve dust-prone areas. “We submitted a complaint against dust pollution with all agencies concerned. We raised the rampant pollution at Sectors 53 and 52, Ghizzor market road, City Centre metro station, Sector 26-27 main road, among others. The pollution is caused mainly by construction material lying on the roadside and dug-up roads,” said Amit Gupta, an environmentalist who has lodged complaints with the National Green Tribunal and the Central Pollution Control Board. He also sent a public grievance email to the SC which the court acknowledged.However, Vijay Rawal, public health, Noida Authority, said, “Noida is still heavily under construction and only about 70% of it is complete. Where construction is in progress, there will be pollution for some time.”On Wednesday, Noida’s air quality index was 145, in the moderate range.“We recently asked the Noida Authority to take action on dust pollution in sectors 74 and 75. However, it is yet to impact the AQI adversely,” Anil Singh, regional officer, Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board, said.Construction work is going on in several parts of the city such as the area under the elevated road at the Sector 27-28 intersection. There is a large mound of mud lying exposed. “Once the work is complete, we will get the green cover. Till then, we will be sprinkling the stretch,” said Rajeev Tyagi, general manager, projects, Noida.

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