Air quality monitoring stations in City soon

Air quality monitoring stations in City soon
Vijay Times

ENVIRONMENTALISTS fighting against air pollution can breathe easy for it looks like a ray of hope still exists. On the occasion of World Environment Day which is observed on June 5 every year, experts pointed out that steps to tackle air pollution were being worked out through Public-Private-Partnership in the interest of society.

With this, the level of gaseous substances like carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and others can be accurately measured in a particular area in the City.

According to Dr H K Ramaraju, professor and head of Civil Engineering, Dayananda Sagar College of Engineering, said, “The college is in the process of drafting the MoU with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Ministry of Environment and Forest for the installation of the Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring stations at its premises.” Data collection on air pollution "The data generated by this station will be displayed on the CPCB website and will facilitate researchers and technocrats to evolve procedures that will help in dealing with air pollution in the City," he said.

"The CPCB has identified some locations in the City for installing these Air Quality stations They want to set this up in an industrial, commercial and residential area and the Dayananda Sagar College campus at Kumaraswamy Layout has been identified as the site in the residential area," Ramaraju informed.

He said that the college management was eager about this move and had come forward to join hands with the CPCB. Station cost, location Giving details about the Air Quality Station, he said, "It is anticipated that the monitoring station shall be operated on a long-term basis approximately for 8 to 10 years. The cost of each station is about Rs 1 crore and as per norms, the station, which will function round-the-clock, should be preferably located on the first floor of the building."

Focus on RWH

Ramaraju, who will soon be visiting the Sun Yat-sen University in China to present a paper on Integrated Management for Drinking Water Security in Karnataka, South India- An Overview as part of an international conference on Hydrology in Asia, says, "Citizens must take up implementation of Rain Water Harvesting (RWH) more effectively in urban area." He also pointed out that a City like Bangalore, which is growing at a rapid pace, needs to have its tanks and bunds well protected. "It is highly essential to technically construct the artificial recharge structures so that it can help in effective harvesting of the water," he added.

Though the City is not at risk of desertification, which is the theme of this years World Environment Day, Desert and Desertification, prevention is better than cure.

"Permeability of the soil in the City is good, hence the RWH can be implemented effectively here," he said.