Massive demolition exercise in Noida

The demolition of the Supertech Twin towers (Noida) using controlled implosion has highlighted the need for interventions to mitigate pollution and waste, post-demolition.

• The demolition was done by a method known as the ‘waterfall technique’ to minimize damage to the surroundings.
• The waterfall technique means that the debris will fall like water. Implosion is the method used for such urban demolitions which need controlled detonations.
• An explosion, on the contrary, would result in debris being flung far across directions.

Areas of concern:

• Dust: This demolition has produced large amounts of dust. The dust and gases will get diluted in the air and will get dispersed.
• Particulate Matter: Heavier dust particles will settle down soon but the light particulate matter (PM) will probably remain in the air for weeks.
• Environmental concerns: Demolition causes lots of environmental degradation, like
  • impact on the ground (shock waves) in case of demolition by the blast
  • noise pollution
  • spread of fine particles in the air
• Health hazards: Health concerns related to respiratory issues, skin ailments, as well as allergic disorders can come up with the people living in the vicinity.
  • There is an increase in lead, silica, and asbestos in the atmosphere and a tremendous amount of PM10 and PM2.5 particles.
  • Increased lead exposure may lead to headaches, tiredness, irritability and constipation, silicosis, etc.
  • Silt accumulation in drainage systems can lead to problems like water-borne and parasite diseases.