Given the issue of pollution in the National Capital Region making headlines with even the top court of the country, Supreme Court, has taken up the matter, Uttar Pradesh has inaugurated its first air pollution control tower in Noida on Wednesday.

The 20-metre-high tower is located Sector 16A, and its diameter of nine metres can filter air in an area of one square kilometre around it. It has come with the joint efforts of the Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) and the Noida Authority, said the officials.

The Air Pollution Control Tower (APCT) prototype developed by public sector undertaking BHEL was inaugurated by the Union Minister of Heavy Industries Mahendra Nath Pandey.

In a statement the Minister said that “air pollution in urban areas, especially the National Capital Region, remains a serious problem, adversely affecting the health and quality of life of citizens.” He went on to add that “efforts are being made to eliminate the pollution at the source itself.”

Sharing the working of the APCT the statement said: “The APCT operates by pulling polluted air through its base and capturing the particulate matter in filters installed in the tower. Clean air is then released from the top of the tower. The captured particulate matter gets collected in the hopper at the bottom of the APCT for periodic removal for disposal.”

Highlighting the importance of this tower, the statement added: “National Capital Region is plagued with the problem of air pollution especially in winter months, with Air Quality Index deteriorating to hazardous levels, which is a matter of serious concern for the health of the local population.”

Others who were present during the inauguration by Pandey included Gautam Buddh Nagar Member of Parliament, Mahesh Sharma, Noida MLA Pankaj Singh and Noida Authority CEO Ritu Maheshwari.

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