IIT-Kanpur to track sources of air pollution in seven towns

Kuldeep Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, July 29

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur, will conduct a comprehensive study to track sources of air pollution in the seven most polluted towns of the state.

The regulator is also setting up a state-level online monitoring system in the city to keep a track of pollution levels in the towns as directed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT).

These seven most polluted towns are Kala Amb, Paonta Sahib, Damtal, Parwanoo, Baddi-Barotiwala, Nalagarh and Sundernagar. The first six are industrial towns, while Sundernagar has no industrial unit as such.

But ambient air quality of the town has become hazardous for its residents over the years. It has become a “traffic junction with high traffic density” as all tourist vehicles coming from Chandigarh, Kullu-Manali, Pathankot, Hoshiarpur and Shimla, trucks, project vehicles and Army convoys pass through the town every day.

“Two brick kilns in Sundernagar and two private stone crushers operating about 5 km away from the town are adding to the air pollution here,” complained residents.

The level of respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM) in Sunderngar was 116 microgram per cubic m on June 6 this year. The RSPM level in Kala Amb, Paonta Sahib, Damtal, Parwanoo and Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh was also high.

“The levels at Kala Amb (152 on June 3) and Paonta Sahib (106 on June 1) have exceeded the standard limit of 100 microgram per cubic m. But the state regulator says it does not know the exact sources of air pollution in these towns due to lack of scientific study,” said an official. The study would stretch over two to three winter and peak summer seasons, he added.

Though the air quality of the state capital has deteriorated, the RSPM level in the city hit 81 microgram per cubic m on June 10, an all-time high since 2014, revealed the data from the pollution regulator. “But the RSPM level in Shimla still remains below 100, the highest permissible level, said Dr Ajeet Negi, in-charge of the study.

Places on the list

• The towns are Kala Amb, Paonta Sahib, Damtal, Parwanoo, Baddi-Barotiwala, Nalagarh and Sundernagar. The first six are industrial towns, while Sundernagar has no industrial unit as such. But ambient air quality of the town has become hazardous for residents over the years. 

• The level of respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM) in Sunderngar was 116 microgram per cubic m on June 6 this year. The RSPM level in Kala Amb, Paonta Sahib, Damtal, Parwanoo and Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh were also high.