• In order to find permanent solution to air pollution in the state, concerted efforts are required to be made. According to a study on the situation of air pollution in the last five years, the average PM10 and PM2.5 of about 17 cities are higher than the national average. Cities including Lucknow, Kanpur, Agra, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Bareilly, Ghaziabad, Moradabad, Noida, Meerut, Firozabad, and Gorakhpur are facing the problem of air pollution due to increasing population and industrial activities. A Clean air management project should be prepared by making planned efforts in this direction.
• Action should be taken to expand and strengthen the ambient air quality monitoring system in cities. Convergence of multi-sector budgeting systems for air pollution control should be done.
• E-mobility, fleet upgradation and traffic management are necessary for air quality improvement in the transport sector. Tree plantation and green infrastructure should be developed. Effective efforts are also needed for solid waste management.
• Special attention should be given to the supply of clean energy and biomass in industries. We have to promote natural farming and compressed biogas to reduce the emission of ammonia and methane.
• For the immense potential of the Forestry sector in the state and to meet its challenges, there is a need to establish an excellent research institute. After a thorough study in this regard, a proposal should be prepared and submitted.
• There is a possibility of expansion of agroforestry in an area of 20 lakh hectares against about 190 lakh hectares of agricultural land of the state. Plantation along with agricultural crops not only increases the productivity of the land, but also becomes a means of increasing the livelihood, employment and income of farmers.
• More than 100 crore saplings have been planted in the last five years. The state has also received a good amount of public participation in this work. Along with planting trees, we also have to take full care of their conservation. A detailed report of the total plantation efforts and the increased green cover in the last five years should be submitted by the Forest Department.
• The policy of promoting agroforestry based industries has yielded good results. Promotion of Poplar tree cultivation under agroforestry will prove to be useful for promotion of the plywood industry. We should make farmers aware of planting poplar plants in a planned manner. This will not only help in increasing the income of the farmers, but also help in creating employment.
