Gandhinagar, March 10
The Gujarat government will introduce a new digital monitoring system to track the condition of urban lakes and air quality across cities, with the Gujarat Urban Development Mission set to launch the "Lake and Air Watch" initiative covering municipal areas across the state.
The initiative will establish monitoring systems in 17 municipal corporations and 152 municipalities to track air quality and assess the condition of lakes through a unified digital platform.
The project, with an estimated provision of Rs 10 crore, aims to provide real-time data and early alerts to enable authorities to take timely action.
According to the state government, the initiative is being introduced as part of broader efforts to make cities more sustainable while contributing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of "Viksit Bharat @2047".
Officials said Gujarat has emerged as a major growth engine, and the state government, under Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, has been working to ensure that urban centres develop sustainably and smartly.
Under the programme, monitoring systems currently functioning across different departments will be integrated to create a single digital platform that will provide real-time information on the condition of lakes and air quality in urban areas.
The platform will enable authorities to receive alerts and respond promptly to environmental concerns.
Urban lakes in several cities have been facing challenges such as pollution, silt accumulation and deterioration in water quality.
Under the "Lake and Air Watch" initiative, satellite technology will be used to analyse factors including the area of lakes, indications of contamination and the presence of algae.
Alerts generated through the system are expected to help authorities initiate timely conservation measures.
The programme will also involve the installation of air quality monitoring points across the municipal corporations and municipalities.
These devices will provide real-time data on the Air Quality Index (AQI). If AQI levels rise, the system will automatically generate alerts, enabling concerned departments to take immediate action.
Information collected through the monitoring systems will be compiled at the state level through a digital dashboard.
The dashboard will include maps, trends, alerts and updates on actions taken, to improve coordination among departments responsible for environmental management.
Officials said the system will also make information available to citizens in a transparent manner, which is expected to help increase public awareness about environmental conditions in urban areas.
The state government said the "Lake and Air Watch" initiative is expected to support the sustainable development of cities in Gujarat in the context of climate change.
- IANS
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