The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has put out an action plan to combat air pollution in Thoothukudi, the lone “non-attainment city” in the State under the National Clean Air Programme.
Across the country, a total of 122 cities have been categorised as “non-attainment cities” for exceeding the national ambient air quality standards. Thoothukudi was categorised as a “non-attainment city” due to high levels of PM10 (which has a prescribed limit of 60 micrograms/cubic metre). However, the levels of PM 2.5, SO2 and NO2 were found to be within the prescribed limits.
Three monitoring stations recorded severe, very poor and moderate to poor PM10 levels. March to August were identified as months with highest levels of pollution.
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According to the document, the potential sources of PM10 include road dust, vehicular emission, industries and open biomass burning as fuel, especially at restaurants. There are 7.66 lakh vehicles and 940 industries, including 42 in the red large category, in the district. The action to be taken by various agencies has been classified as immediate, short (within three months), mid (three to six months), and long (more than six months).
Restriction on plying and phasing out of 15-year-old commercial diesel vehicles, construction of flyovers and bypass roads, enforcement of pollution under control certificates and restrictions on open burning of waste were among the actions that found a mention in the plan.
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A district-level monitoring committee has been formed which includes the District Collector, Municipal Commissioner, senior officers from Department of Environment and Forests, Urban development and Housing department, Transport department, Agricultural department, and Forest department and District administration. Officials at the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board said periodic reviews would be conducted to ensure the plan is followed.