Greenpeace India warns of deteriorating air quality in Mysuru

Updated - September 06, 2024 08:37 pm IST - MYSURU

Mysuru’s air quality has deteriorated amid the city experiencing ‘rapid expansion of the transportation sector’, according to a study by Greenpeace India.

Mysuru’s air quality has deteriorated amid the city experiencing ‘rapid expansion of the transportation sector’, according to a study by Greenpeace India. | Photo Credit: M.A. Sriram

Rising air pollution in Mysuru has drastically brought down air quality in the city, revealed a recent study by Greenpeace India.

Known for its pleasant and pollution-free environment till recently, Mysuru’s air quality has deteriorated amid the city experiencing “rapid expansion of the transportation sector”, the study noted.

The findings are part of an Air Quality Analysis of 10 cities from Southern India covering not only the three metros – Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad – but also Vishakapatnam, Vijayawada, Kochi, Mangaluru, Amaravathi and Puducherry, besides Mysuru taken up by Greenpeace India and published in its report “Spare the Air – 2”.

The study analysing air pollution trends in 2023 across the 10 cities of southern Indian States, builds upon its previous findings from the 2021-2022 assessment. Warning of declining air quality in three major cities of Karnataka, Greenpeace India revealed that air quality in Bengaluru, Mangaluru, and Mysuru has come down drastically, and air pollution is rising.

“The latest report by Greenpeace India ‘Spare the Air – 2’ flags serious health concerns as the average PM2.5 and PM10 levels soar in the 10 major cities of southern India, significantly exceeding the air quality guidelines set by the World Health Organization (WHO),” said the statement.

Comparing PM10 levels with WHO guidelines reveals that Mysuru has annual averages that exceed these guidelines by four to five times.

The Clean Air Action plan reports have shown that the emissions coming from vehicle exhaust, road dust, construction and demolition activities, industrial processes, and burning biomass are the main sources of rising particulate matter (PM) levels, the report said.

Why are PM2.5 and PM10 considered?

Several types of air pollutants are monitored in real-time with fine particulate matter such as PM2.5 and PM10 that differ in size and health impact. “PM10 refers to particles with a diameter of 10 micrometres or less, which are large enough to settle in the lungs and cause respiratory issues. PM 2.5 are finer particles with diameter of 2.5 micrometres or less that can penetrate deeper into the lungs and even enter the bloodstream, posing more severe health risks,” said the study.

These pollutants are commonly found in the surrounding air. Primary sources of these pollutants include power plants, vehicles powered by fossil fuels, and agricultural practices like stubble burning. These microsized particles can be absorbed easily in the bloodstream upon inhalation and potentially cause long-term health consequences such as asthma, preterm birth, low birth weight, depression, schizophrenia, diabetes, stroke, and lung cancer, the report said.

Greenpeace India’s campaign manager Avinash Chanchal said the report’s findings debunk the myth of cleaner air in the southern States. “Alarmingly, not a single major city in these States meets the WHO’s standards for safe and healthy air. This report should serve as a wake-up call for the governments of southern cities,” he said before adding that it was imperative to adopt a comprehensive and long-term strategy to improve air quality.

He also addressed the persistent major contributors to the deteriorating air quality such as emissions from vehicles, power plants, industry, waste, construction and other sectors.

Greepeace India’s campaigner Selomi Garnaik said the report suggests that local governments should promote renewable energy solutions while also mapping the sectoral hotspot zones to develop targeted action points for effective pollution control as well as to create awareness programmes to encourage people to adopt sustainable practices such as public transport, electric vehicles and solar energy to reduce fossil fuel dependency. 

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