The AQM, along with the other stakeholders involved in the exercise, did manage to finalise a ‘roadmap’ for implementation of clean air initiatives but the debate that consumed a substantial time in the opening session was reflective of the problem affecting such exercise. ‘‘We have decided to undertake a good study and create a database on the level of pollution and the extent of deterioration by mid-2006. Subsequently, implement a priority-based, target-oriented AQM strategy,’’ Ajay Ojha, head of the AQM cell told Pune Newsline. Earlier, NGO and civic activists were up on their feet — soon after Munde was through with his presentation on MPCB initiatives — wondering whether it was appropriate to make a categorical observation at this stage about the pollution levels having gone down and whether the MPCB officials were misleading the audience by making such observations. Environmentalist Sujit Patwardhan of NGO Prayas insisted that MPCB should release minutes of the January 8 meeting when the Bhure Lal panel had visited the city. Patwardhan, as also other activists, observed that despite having a pivotal role in the clean air initiatives, the MPCB was running away from making the minutes public by putting the onus on the EPCA. Senior MPCB official M B Chaudhari, facing the barrage of queries, said that the board was merely a facilitator while implementation of the initiatives was the responsibility of the public service agencies (PSAs) concerned. This aggravated the debate on MPCB’s role in the exercise. Finally, sanity prevailed after the organisers intervened and appealed for restraint on the grounds that the event was for evolving a common strategy rather than targeting any particular institution. ‘HIGH CAPACITY CARRIERS NEEDED’EXTENDING a traffic management perspective vis-a-vis air pollution, deputy director of Central Institute of Road Transport A Sardesai observed that projects like Skybus, with their limited passenger carrying capacity, were unlikely to work in cities like Pune. ‘‘What we need is high-capacity mass transport carriers and efforts to curb the number of private vehicles on the roads by offering an efficient public transport system,’’ he said. Citing studies, he said, pollution from low-occupancy vehicles like cars and two-wheelers is always much more than those from high-occupancy vehicles. Also, he suggested implementation of zoning system by banning vehicles except public transport buses on busy roads. Promoting trip-planning among vehicle users was another option, he said. Operating high-capacity vehicles on high-density roads and exploring hybrid vehicles or electric battery-run vehicles were other solutions, he said.