Coastal Karnataka districts as well as Western Ghats regions have been experiencing hazy atmosphere since Monday morning with fine dust affecting visibility in some parts. Though its source remains a mystery, officials say that remnants of the sandstorm in Dubai, nearly 2,400-km away, may have touched down on the Indian coast.
The dusty atmosphere was particularly bad during mornings and evenings, leading to locals theorising pollution from a local thermal power plant.
The persistent presence of the haze even flummoxed Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) officials. They even visited the Udupi Power Corporation Ltd., near Padubidri in Udupi, to rule out the possibility of excess air pollution from the thermal plant.
KSPCB’S Environment Officer in Mangaluru Rajashekara Puranik told The Hindu that the haze comprised suspended particles less than 2.5 micron size. “The intensity of the haze is coming down…sandstorms in the Gulf region may have crossed the Arabian Sea,” he said.
Similarly, the Indian Meteorological Department, Bengaluru, said the dust and pollution must have descended on the coast due to intense heat. “The pattern of hot air rising to colder reaches is disrupted during this time. The smoke and dust settle on the coast instead of rising up,” said an official, adding that Satellite images do not show weather patterns that lead to haze.
