Patiala: A sustained focus on road dust, identified as Mandi Gobindgarh’s biggest pollution source, has helped the Punjab town climb 15 places to 18th among 40 cities in the under-three-lakh population category of the Swachh Vayu Survekshan (SVS)-2026. The industrial town had ranked 33rd last year.Mandi Gobindgarh scored 180.2 out of 200 this year, compared with 151 in 2025. Municipal council officials attributed the improvement to measures taken following a source apportionment study by IIT-Delhi for the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), which found road dust accounted for 60% of the city’s PM10 and 37% of its PM2.5 emissions.The study estimated annual emissions at 1,433 tonnes of PM10 and 575 tonnes of PM2.5.The municipal council paved loose-soil shoulders along Grand Trunk Road (NH-44) and Amloh Road with interlocking tiles. Mechanical sweepers and water-sprinkling vans using treated sewage-plant water were deployed daily, while green corrugated screens were installed at dust-prone spots such as Amloh Chowk to prevent debris exposure and illegal dumping.The council also enforced 100% door-to-door segregated waste collection across all 29 wards, diverting 37-40 tonnes of daily garbage from roadsides to the Chanarthal processing facility, where it is converted into refuse-derived fuel and compost.Vehicular pollution, which the IIT-Delhi study attributed 35% of PM2.5 and 14% of PM10 emissions to, was targeted through synchronised traffic signals at Lal Batti Chowk and Bus Stand crossing. E-rickshaws and electric two-wheelers on city roads also increased by about 35%.Industrial emissions accounted for 26% of PM2.5 and 24% of PM10 emissions, according to the study. The PPCB pushed local steel rolling mills and induction furnaces to switch to piped natural gas and electricity, backed by round-the-clock emission monitoring.Stubble burning also declined in villages around the city as paddy residue was diverted to biomass power units.The city also added green cover, with about 300 trees planted along the NH-44 corridor and a “Mini Jungle” developed with native species and walking paths.Mohit Singla, executive engineer, Fatehgarh Sahib, said measures included continuous emission monitoring, mechanised road sweeping, regular water sprinkling, repairs to dust-prone corridors, improved traffic management and action at garbage dump sites. Industrial units were encouraged to adopt cleaner fuels and upgrade pollution-control systems. “About 300 trees, each around 10 feet tall, have been planted along the busy National Highway 44 corridor to form a green barrier against vehicular pollution and dust. A ‘Mini Jungle’, with greenery and brick-lined walking paths, has also been developed within the town as an ecological buffer and community space,” he said, adding that the focus was on curbing road dust, the primary source of air pollution.Municipal Council officials said the improvement reflected coordinated action by multiple departments rather than any single measure.However, local MC Puneet Goyal remained critical, saying the city’s air was still highly polluted. He said winter AQI levels routinely reached the “very poor” category, while summer readings remained in the “poor” bracket.
