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Gujarat has emerged as a key growth engine in advancing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'Viksit Bharat'. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, efforts are underway to build sustainable and future-ready cities.
As per an official release, the Gujarat Urban Development Mission (under the Urban Development and Urban Housing Department of the state government) will launch the 'Lake and Air Watch' initiative for real-time monitoring and improvement of lake health and air quality across cities. Rapid urbanisation has led to lake pollution, declining water quality, reduced groundwater recharge and worsening air quality in densely populated areas. To address these issues, the 'Lake and Air Watch' initiative will integrate monitoring systems across departments for coordinated and timely action. Eventually, the Gujarat Urban Development Mission (GUDM) will develop an integrated, digital and real-time platform to track lake health and air quality across cities and generate alerts for prompt curative measures. With an estimated provision of Rs 10 crore, the initiative will strengthen environmental protection and sustainable urban development, according to the release. Urban lakes are facing challenges such as pollution, siltation and declining water quality. Under the 'Lake and Air Watch' initiative, satellite technology will analyse lake area, waste presence and algae growth. Based on that, timely alerts will be issued to enable prompt conservation action. Plus, Air quality monitoring stations will be installed in 17 municipal corporations and 152 municipal areas, providing real-time Air Quality Index (AQI) information. Automatic alerts will be generated if AQI levels rise, helping concerned departments to take immediate curative measures. This initiative will significantly improve urban environmental conditions and overall quality of life. After evaluating lake health and air quality in cities, the data will be consolidated at the state level through a centralised dashboard. The platform will provide maps, trends, alerts and operational status, ensuring better inter-departmental coordination and timely action. The information will also be shared transparently with citizens for public awareness. The 'Lake and Air Watch' initiative will contribute significantly to climate resilience and sustainable urban development across Gujarat. (ANI)
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