Thursday, Apr 18, 2024 | Last Update : 12:39 PM IST
Mumbai to witness air quality stations from March
Apart from these areas, stations will also be located at Worli, Powai, Sion and Colaba.
Mumbai: Come March, you can know the air quality in your area in real time. The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has finalised the areas in which new air quality monitoring stations will be installed.
The Asian Age in January reported that the city will get 10 new air monitoring stations by the end of March. As such, Mumbai will have the second largest network of air quality monitoring stations in the country after Delhi.
As per MPCB’s list of areas, the new continuous ambient air quality monitoring stations (CAAQMS) will be set up at Borivali, Kandivali, Mulund, Vile Parle, Kalina and Kurla among others. Apart from these areas, stations will also be located at Worli, Powai, Sion and Colaba.
Dr. P. Anbalagan, member secretary, MPCB, said, “We have tried to cover almost every area in Mumbai. With our new air monitoring stations and the existing air monitoring stations by SAFAR, Mumbai will have one of the largest networks for monitoring air quality in the country.” Presently, the city has one air monitoring station at Bandra.Apart from Mumbai, an air monitoring station will also be set up at Mhape, Navi Mumbai, in addition to the existing one at Airoli. “We have also proposed additional air monitoring stations in Kalyan and Vasai-Virar areas,” he said.
New air monitoring stations, part of draft action plan
The new air monitoring stations are part of the comprehensive draft action plan made by MPCB for Mumbai to curb the city’s air pollution. As per directions of the Central Pollution Control Board, the MPCB is working on an action plan for the state which will be released in the next two months.
Dr Anbalagan said, “The pollutant levels in every area of the city will help determine the exact air quality for the whole city and suburban areas. We could also know the air quality patterns of each area and thus, could study sources of pollution in a more effective way.”
The MPCB has focused on decreasing vehicular and industrial emissions in the city along with improving conditions of roads in the draft action plan.
Officials asserted that Mumbai roads need to be pothole-free to prevent accumulation of dust and also prevent traffic congestion which leads to more emission in the air.
