The Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) will install advanced air quality monitoring devices at 25 public locations across its jurisdiction with support from Bloomberg Philanthropies, said DNCC Administrator Mohammad Azaz on Monday.

He said this while speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the ‘Baseline Study on the Role of Vegetation in Reducing Temperature and Air Pollution: A Study in the Informal Settlements of Dhaka North City Corporation’ in the city.

He also said that trees will be planted along both banks of canals and in different areas of Dhaka North in collaboration with botanists.

The administrator said the DNCC has an innovation lab containing a wealth of research data. “If private institutions share their own research findings, it will facilitate informed decision-making,” he said.

Battery-run rickshaws won’t be allowed on Dhaka's main roads: DNCC Administrator

“A collaborative effort will make it easier to build a more livable city,” he added.

Expressing concern over the state of urban planning, the administrator said, “The city lacks even one-third of the public space it should have. The situation is the same for water bodies, which is detrimental to the environment.”

Highlighting the scarcity of shed areas in public spaces, Azaz said, “I have already instructed the relevant department to take action on this issue.”

To engage the community, the DNCC will arrange training programs aimed at raising awareness on heat wave prevention, air pollution control and overall environmental protection, he said.