Air Quality Index (AQI) prepared from data of the Ambient Air Quality stations in the past year indicates that the air quality is most “satisfactory” to “moderate” for Hyderabad and “satisfactory” for Nalgonda as per monitoring being done by the TS Pollution Control Board (TSPCB).
‘Satisfactory’ meant minor breathing discomfort to sensitive people and ‘moderate’ meant breathing discomfort to people with asthma and heart disease.
Particulate matter
Here, the Ambient Air Quality (AAQ) reveals that the annual average of particulate matter of 10 microns or less (PM10) is near 100ug/m3 against standard of 60ug/m3 and the annual average concentrations of the fine particulate matter (PM2.5) are 50ug/m3 against the standard of 40u/m3.
This is being measured at 18 locations manually and four locations through continuous AAQ monitoring stations. Nalgonda town has particulate matter concentrations below annual standard of 60u/m3 since 2016.
These details were shared by TSPCB at the first meeting of the Air Quality Monitoring Committee here recently.
The agency keeps a tab on air pollution at 36 locations throughout the State manually as well as at another six continuous air quality monitoring stations under two programmes — the National Ambient Air Monitoring Programme (NAMP) and the State Air Quality Monitoring Programme (SAMP).
The committee was constituted last month by the Government for reviewing and fine tuning the existing action plan for air quality of Hyderabad and Patancheru with the latest developments and also for preparing an action plan for Nalgonda city.
With Member-Secretary TSPCB as the member-convenor, the other six member Air Quality Monitoring Committee (AQMC) include Director General of the Environment, Protection Training & Research Institute (EPTRI); Commissioner/Director of Industries; Commissioner/Director of Municipal Administration & Urban Development, and the Commissioner/Director of Agriculture.
The panel has been constituted on TSPCB’s request to comply with directions of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) seeking action plans to be submitted by the year-end to bring air quality standards within the prescribed norms in six months from the date of finalisation.
Need for regulation
The revised plans should include components like vehicular pollution, industrial pollution, strengthening of ambient air quality monitoring and steps for public awareness.
Among steps the authorities concerned could think of is the need to regulate number of vehicles, parking, plying, population density, extent of construction activities. Guidelines could be framed to regulate industries in cities based on the carrying capacity assessments.
The NGT has indicated that it wants the action plans to be vetted and cleared by the Central Pollution Control Board by January 31, 2019. Chief secretaries are to be held accountable for failure to formulate the action plans.
