logo
BMC to procure 5 handheld air quality monitoring devices

BMC to procure 5 handheld air quality monitoring devices

Indian Express2 days ago

To monitor pollutants and the Air Quality Index (AQI) levels around construction sites in Mumbai, in a pilot project, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is set to procure five handheld ambient air quality monitoring devices at a cost of Rs. 5 lakh each.
The mobile equipment will be earmarked solely for the use of BMC engineers to maintain data and facilitate real time monitoring of AQI, particulate matters as well as pollutant gases.
'While the court has called for all construction sites to install their own monitoring sensors, it is also necessary that our engineers have their own monitoring mechanisms to ensure that the air quality levels are not breaching the normals. At a time when we are trying to implement several projects to mitigate air pollution, maintaining data of harmful gases and pollutants is very crucial. Therefore, we are planning to obtain five handheld monitoring devices which will monitor the PM 2.5, PM 10 levels as well as other indicators and calculate the overall AQI in and around construction sites,' a senior official told The Indian Express.
Currently, the city is home to nearly 25 monitoring stations of which 11 are operated by the MPCB, nine controlled by the SAFAR, while five are run by the BMC. Furthermore, the civic body has also rolled out plans to install five more new Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS).
According to officials, the data from these hand-held monitoring devices will be used by civic engineers and officials in addition to the data from installed stations.
'Unlike the CAAQMS, which are quite big and require a lot of space, the new handheld devices are compact and can be transported easily wherever a need arises,' an official said, adding, 'Besides checking the pollution levels around construction sites, our engineers can also use these machines wherever a need is felt. For instance if the reading on the stations is quite high or if we receive complaints of foul smell etc.'
Recently, BMC's environment and climate change department floated a tender for the procurement of outdoor mobile ambient air quality monitoring devices. Estimated a cost of Rs 5 lakh each, these units will be equipped to monitor parameters of PM 2.5, PM 10, Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), Hydrogen Sulphide (H2S), Carbon Monoxide (CO), Methane (CH4), Total Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOC) as well as temperature, humidity and the moisture index.
'With the machines being expensive, we are planning to acquire only five machines in the pilot project. Once pressed into operations, we will observe their utility amongst our engineers and accuracy. If we observe positive trends, we will purchase more such hand-held monitoring devices in the future,' said an official.
For the record, earlier this month, the civic body has also instructed the developers to install approved sensor-based AQI monitoring stations at the construction within a period of 30 days. The instructions have been issued in line with the technologies from 15 companies which were shortlisted by the civic body, after an Expression of Interest (EOI) inviting units for particulate matters was floated in February.
'Even though our 27-point guideline for air pollution mitigation maintains that all construction sites must install stations to monitor air quality levels at site, we found that presently, only 10 percent of the construction sites were following the directives. However, in these cases, it was observed that the readings from the machines were not reliable. Therefore, we had floated an EOI to streamline and standardise the type and quality of machines in a bid to ensure accurate AQI. Having now finalised technologies from 15 companies, we have informed all construction sites to install these monitoring stations,' said a senior civic official.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Chenab Bridge Project Engineer's New Post On "Unnecessary" Fame
Chenab Bridge Project Engineer's New Post On "Unnecessary" Fame

NDTV

time3 hours ago

  • NDTV

Chenab Bridge Project Engineer's New Post On "Unnecessary" Fame

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Chenab Bridge in Jammu and Kashmir, the world's highest railway arch bridge, last Friday. As the nation celebrated the feat, Professor G Madhavi Latha, a long-time contributor, credited thousands of "unsung heroes" and urged people not to make her "unnecessarily famous." "I salute the millions of unsung heroes," said Dr Latha, who was a geotechnical consultant to Afcons, the engineering firm that constructed the bridge. "My role was to help in developing slope stabilisation schemes and design of foundations on slope," she added in a message on LinkedIn shared after the inauguration. Dr Latha, who has been involved with the Chenab Bridge for 17 years, spoke about the headlines that described her as the "woman behind the mission" and one who performed "miracles to build the bridge". She called them "baseless." "Please don't make me unnecessarily famous," she said. "I am one of the thousands who deserve appreciation for Chenab Bridge." Currently attending a conference in Spain, the professor from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, thanked those who sent congratulatory messages. "Many fathers have written to me saying that they want their daughters to become like me. Many young kids have written to me that they now want to take up Civil Engineering as their career choice," she said. "All glory belongs to Indian Railways," she said and appreciated the Indian Railways and Afcons for their execution of what many called an impossible task. A leading geotechnical engineer, Dr G Madhavi Latha is a Higher Administrative Grade (HAG) professor at the IISc, Bengaluru. Construction of the Chenab Bridge, part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL), faced significant challenges due to difficult terrain, seismic risks, and unpredictable geology. Dr Latha and her team helped the project navigate these complexities with a "design-as-you-go" approach. This meant adapting to real-time findings like fractured rocks and hidden cavities, factors that earlier surveys had missed. Dr Latha provided guidance on rock anchor design and slope stability, elements crucial for a structure of this scale. She also detailed her technical journey in a paper titled 'Design as You Go: The Case Study of Chenab Railway Bridge', published in the Indian Geotechnical Journal's special women's issue. Standing 359 metres above the Chenab River, the bridge rises 35 metres taller than the Eiffel Tower. Indian Railways built it at a cost of Rs 1,486 crore, making it the tallest railway arch bridge in the world. The government calls it the biggest civil-engineering challenge Indian Railways has ever tackled. Engineers expect the bridge to significantly boost connectivity in the Kashmir Valley, calling it a once-in-a-lifetime project.

Students should become game changers of tomorrow: Minister
Students should become game changers of tomorrow: Minister

Hans India

time4 hours ago

  • Hans India

Students should become game changers of tomorrow: Minister

Kurnool: Students must become game changers by embracing innovative thinking and using technology to achieve their goals, said Minister for Industries, Commerce, and Food Processing, TG Bharath. He was speaking at the Shining Stars awards ceremony held at Pushpa Raj Function Hall, Peddapadu Road on Monday, where meritorious students from Class 10 and Intermediate were felicitated. He said that the State government has taken a significant step in encouraging academic excellence by presenting talented students—who performed well in the public board exams—with a Shining Stars Award, a cash prize of Rs.20,000, and a certificate of excellence. He advised parents not to impose their own aspirations on their children but to support them in pursuing their passions. MLA G Charitha (Panyam) lauded the success of government school students who scored on par with private school peers. She cited the examples of Dr BR Ambedkar and Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, who rose from humble beginnings to win the Bharat Ratna, emphasizing that poverty is no barrier to education. She reiterated that the government is offering numerous educational opportunities, quality teaching, and infrastructure support. She highlighted government investments in infrastructure such as Rs 5 crore sanctioned for KGBV schools in four mandals of Panyam constituency; Rs 3 crore allocated for renovation of BC and SC hostels; Rs 10 lakh CSR fund approved for the development of the IIT Ambedkar NEET Academy in Chinnatekur. Joint Collector Dr B Navya stated that it is commendable how students, despite personal and financial hardships, have crossed a milestone by excelling in board exams. She urged teachers to continue offering competitive coaching so that more students from government schools can secure top ranks in entrance exams. At the conclusion of the event, awards were presented to 142 students from government and private schools who excelled in the Class 10 board exams. The programme was attended by RDO Sandeep Kumar, DEO Samuel Paul, DVEO Sudhir, students, parents, teachers, and other officials.

India charting a future-ready path in geosciences: Kishan Reddy
India charting a future-ready path in geosciences: Kishan Reddy

Hans India

time4 hours ago

  • Hans India

India charting a future-ready path in geosciences: Kishan Reddy

Hyderabad: Union Minister for Coal and Mines G Kishan Reddy on Monday said India is entering a new era with science, sustainability, and technology playing a pivotal role in mineral exploration. Addressing after inaugurating the 'Next-Gen Geophysics 2025: Unlocking Earth's Hidden Treasures' conference at the Geological Survey of India Training Institute (GSITI), Bandlaguda-Nagole, in the presence of MP Eatala Rajender, Kishan Reddy highlighted the vital role of geophysics in achieving the goals of Viksit Bharat by providing innovative tools to address challenges such as climate change, urbanisation, and disaster risk mitigation. The Minister lauded the Geological Survey of India (GSI) for organising this timely conference as it celebrates 175 years of dedicated service. He described this milestone as a testament to India's long-standing commitment to the scientific exploration of natural resources. 'Significant advancements including the establishing National Landslide Forecasting Centre and a recent Memorandum of Understanding with Italy aimed at enhancing disaster preparedness,' he said, and called for the expansion of monitoring networks and the adoption of cutting-edge forecasting technologies. Further, the Minister drew attention to India's growing presence in global education and research, noting a 318 percent increase in Indian institutions featured in the QS World University Rankings 2025. He also mentioned the doubling of IIT seats and the creation of the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) as examples of the government's commitment to scientific excellence. Kishan Reddy urged geoscientists to embrace emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Quantum Computing for enhanced exploration, including predicting hidden mineral resources and interpreting seismic data with greater precision. He highlighted flagship initiatives like the Rs 10,300 crore India AI Mission and the Rs 6,000 crore National Quantum Mission as catalysts for innovation. Emphasising the strategic importance of critical minerals, the Union Minister stated that India's future economic strength depends on reducing import dependence on key minerals like lithium and cobalt through AI-powered, clean, and efficient exploration methods. He underscored the need for innovation alongside collaboration and sustainability, advocating for stronger partnerships between government, academia, and industry. The Mineral Exploration Hackathon was cited as a successful model of such co-creation. He also stressed the importance of responsible mining practices that benefit local communities and protect the environment. Eatala Rajender stated, 'Geoscience is entering a transformative era—where traditional methods converge with AI-powered predictive models, quantum sensing, and cutting-edge technologies to revolutionise resource exploration and contribute to building a future-ready, Viksit Bharat'. He emphasised the crucial role of geoscientific research in addressing challenges related to mineral security, environmental resilience, and natural disaster preparedness. He commended GSI's adoption of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in geohazard assessments and mineral investigations, and he expressed confidence in India's ability to become a global leader in data-driven exploration and sustainable resource management. Earlier in the day, Kishan Reddy and Eatala Rajender inaugurated two newly inducted Hydrostatic Drill Rigs at the Geological Survey of India (GSI), in the presence of Dr S Ravi, Deputy Director General and Head of Mission-V (Training and Capacity Building), GSITI; Asit Saha, Director General, GSI; S.D. Patbhaje, Additional Director General, GSI (Southern Region). Marking a significant milestone in India's geoscientific capabilities. He also inaugurated the Next-Gen Geophysics Expo Pavilion, showcasing advanced geophysical tools and AI-enabled exploration models. The pavilion features live demonstrations of frontier technologies supporting India's vision for sustainable development of critical mineral resources. The two-day conference has brought together eminent geoscientists, researchers, and industry leaders from India and countries including Australia, Canada, Russia, the USA, Poland, Malaysia, and Singapore. The agenda focuses on advanced geophysical technologies, AI/ML-integrated exploration models, high-resolution subsurface imaging, and data-driven mineral targeting.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store