Jharkhand | Feb 02, 2015:

- Ambient air quality survey in prime city pockets exposes gross environment unconcern

Beneath its classy countenance, steel city Jamshedpur is not breathing easy.

A recent survey conducted by the regional office of Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board (JSPCB) has indicated marginal - but by no means negligible - depreciation in the city's ambient air quality, courtesy unabated increase in the number of smoke-belching vehicles and general apathy towards the environment.

Leading the pack of offenders are Bistupur, Sakchi and Golmuri, where three major air pollutants - sulphur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen and respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM) - have crossed their permissible limits. That the ambient air isn't as contaminated in Telco, Sonari and Kadma, where the level of pollutants is borderline, is perhaps the only consolation for a city that takes pride in its stride of progress.

According to the survey, which is being carried out on a monthly basis, the RSPM has gone way beyond the 100mg/m3 (milligram per cubic metre) mark, prescribed by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), in Bistupur, Golmuri and Sakchi. Respirable dust samplers were used to measure the pollution level in the three places.

At the JSPCB's monitoring station in Bistupur, the RSPM level was 145.92mg/m3 in November and 146mg/m3 in December. Golmuri, on the other hand, recorded 145.78mg/m3 in November and 146.25mg/m3 in December. Sakchi registered 106mg/m3 in November and 107mg/m3 in December. The RSPM levels in Telco, Sonari and Kadma were found to be in the range of 90-110mg/m3.

The dust report found voice in resident grievances.

"We often have trouble breathing when travelling along the Jugsalai-Bistupur road. Throat and eye irritations are not uncommon near Muckdampur," said Paramjeet Singh, an employee of a private insurance company and a resident of Jugsalai.

Agreed Golmuri resident and medical representative Sadhan Jagdev. "Jamshedpur's air is heavy with metals. Industries and vehicles, mostly diesel-run ones, are to be blamed for this. Depletion of the city's green cover for widening of roads has also contributed to rising pollution levels," he said.

Jagdev had hammered the nail in the head. For, the levels of sulphur and nitrogen dioxides were found to be higher than their respective permissible limits in December.

The NO2 levels in ambient air in Bistupur, Golmuri and Sakchi were found to be 48.25mg/m3, 49.49mg/m3 and 45.26mg/m3, respectively. The CPCB prescribed cap for oxides of nitrogen is 40mg/m3. Similarly, SO2 levels in Bistupur, Golmuri and Sakchi were 37.72mg/m3, 37.71mg/m3 and 36.41mg/m3, while the permissible limit is 35mg/m3.

N.K. Nag, the director of city-based Institute of Environmental Management and Studies, claimed unauthorised and rogue vehicles contributed to 80 per cent of air pollution. "Curb rogue vehicles. Breathe easy in return. Also, potholes and bad roads result in rising dust levels, which means better infrastructure can improve ambient air quality," he said.

General physician A.K. Paul listed the harms we are causing to ourselves by not caring about the environment. "Increasing RSPM levels can have both short- and long-term effects. It starts with people having difficulty in breathing, persistent cough and spurt in asthma cases and lung infection. In a more acute situation, air contaminants can cause cancer and irreversible lung and heart diseases. Higher SO2 and NO2 mean irritation for the eyes."

Regional officer of JSPCB R.N. Choudhary conceded that diesel-run vehicles made a large contribution to poor ambient air quality. "The unburnt carbon in diesel vehicles raises the level of RSPM and other pollutants. Vigorous and sustained emission checks are the need of the hour. We shall forward our findings to CPCB for necessary orders," he said.

(Source: http://www.telegraphindia.com/)