The Kerala State Pollution Control Board will soon invite expressions of interest (EoI) from reputed companies to set up a continuous (online) ambient air quality monitoring station at Vyttila.
The board hopes that the online ambient air quality monitoring station will help ascertain the pollution levels in Vyttila. Real-time data will be displayed at a place near the station. All analysers will work round-the-clock. The station will have sophisticated instruments including analysers to detect sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, particulate matter and benzene.
The unit will also measure meteorological parameters like wind speed, wind direction, temperature, relative humidity and solar radiation. Data generated by the stations will be available on the website of the Central Pollution Control Board.
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The board is also in talks with KELTRON to develop the software for displaying real-time water and air quality data at its proposed ambient air and water quality monitoring stations along the Periyar river.
Efforts to install the units a few months ago had failed, as the facility lacked the system to display real-time data. The objective of the initiative was to scientifically analyse the source of pollution of the river, besides ascertaining those responsible for such incidents.
The continuous ambient water quality monitoring station will record online the pH, conductivity, salinity, temperature, chloride, ammoniacal nitrogen and dissolved oxygen levels. These parameters will be recorded and monitored regularly. The proposed air monitoring station will come up near the ESI Hospital at Eloor.
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The board expects that the two online stations will help bring down pollution levels, especially during the night hours, as it will be operational round-the-clock. It will also help detect the exact cause of the frequent fish kills in the Periyar river.