Latest news with #Kesbhat
Hindustan Times
25-07-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Maharashtra to set up 53 more CAAQMS; machine installation in few weeks: Official
Mumbai: The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) is in the final leg of setting up 53 continuous ambient air quality monitoring stations (CAAQMS) across the state, an official said. The stations, each costing ₹ 9 crore, will monitor PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations, as well as levels of carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, ammonia, and ozone. (Representative photo) Maharashtra currently has 69 air quality stations, and the addition of 53 new stations will increase the total to 122. 'We have identified the areas where the stations will be located; the machines are expected to be installed in the next few weeks,' an MPCB official said. The stations, each costing ₹9 crore, will monitor PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations, as well as levels of carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, ammonia, and ozone. They will also measure wind direction, wind speed, ambient temperature, relative humidity, solar radiation, and rainfall. All these stations will be connected to a server, and readings can be accessed through the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) website or CPCB's Sameer app. Among the 53 new stations, 22 districts such as Beed, Nandurbar, Palghar, Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, and Satara will get their first air quality monitoring stations, while areas such as Mira-Bhayandar, Ulhasnagar, Thane, and Bhiwandi will get additional ones apart from the existing stations. Locations for three stations are yet to be decided. 'Placing AQI stations in Beed and other districts will help assess the impact of all the industries in these areas and the impact of garbage burning and other issues and tell us the urgency of tackling these issues,' Bhagwan Kesbhat, founder of environmental organisation Waatavaran, said. Also Read: Five air quality monitoring stations starts functioning Around 36 districts will see a wider network of AQI stations. 'This will strengthen data and record collection and help researchers widen the scope. When data are available, people also become more aware of the problems. The administration can take data-driven decisions, but these stations should be placed strategically and not only in greener zones,' Kesbhat said. Environmental experts had expressed the need to increase air quality monitoring, which will aid research and provide wider coverage of all areas to understand air pollution better. Also Read: MPCB invites bids to set up 50 air quality monitoring stations At present, Mumbai has 28 CAAQMS stations, out of which five are managed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), nine by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), and the remaining 14 by the MPCB. An additional 15 stations are planned to be installed in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). 'We often say that the air from surrounding areas pollutes the city; if strategically placed, these stations can help identify the root causes and hotspots which can be tackled immediately,' added Kesbhat.
Hindustan Times
12-06-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
City's air quality breached PM 10 limit on 49 days since February: Report
MUMBAI: Just after the winter months, when air quality appears to improve with the air quality monitoring stations hitting the green mark, a closer look at data from February to April reveals a different story. The Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) in a report states that of the 89 days observed, 49 days (55%) breached the permissible PM 10 limit of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), according to data provided by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Particulate matter with a diameter of 10 micrometers or less is small enough to be inhaled. According to NAAQS, an AQI (Air Quality Index) of 100 in PM10 is the permissible limit in 24-hours; annually it is 60. In the month of February, all 28 days breached the permissible limit, recording an average AQI of 130, which further dropped to 108 in March, when 17 of the 31 days breached the limit. It then drastically dropped to an AQI of 78 in April, when only four of the 30 days breached the mark. Experts attribute this drastic drop in AQI to a change in weather patterns. 'Meteorological conditions led to an improvement in AQI but emissions remained stable,' said Bhagwan Kesbhat, founder of Waatavaran, an environmental organisation. While the majority of air quality monitoring stations showed poor air quality, those in Deonar, Bandra Kurla Complex, Malad West, Chakala-Andheri and Kurla were major contributors. Deonar saw the lowest AQI, which ranged between 155 and 225 across all three months studied. 'This report exposes the myth that air quality is a seasonal problem. Sources of air pollution continue to contribute the same amount of pollutants, weather patterns only make it look better,' said Kesbhat. Manoj Kumar, analyst at CREA said, 'This is only the tip of the iceberg. The permissible limits are being re-evaluated since the last NAAQS limits were set in 2009 and the situation has changed since then.' The report focuses on PM 10 limits, given that the National Clean Air Program (NCAP) aims to bring PM 10 levels down by 40% compared to 2017 by 2026. 'We also need to look at PM 2.5 emissions from vehicles, eateries and industries. Mumbai has its focus on the construction industry, which emits PM 10 but PM2.5 cannot be ignored as it is more harmful,' added Kumar.
