Sensitive areas in City under high pollution threat

Sensitive areas in City under high pollution threat
New Indian Express

BANGALORE: The area around Victoria Hospital, projected as the ‘sensitive area,’ is bustling with harmful Respiratory Suspended Particles at Matter, which seep deep inside the lungs without any notice.

The people passing the area, patients resting on the beds of hospital and vendors who put up stalls till dusk, are exposed to the threat of breathing harmful substances in the air.

The records obtained by the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) reviles that the level of Sulfur dioxide and Nitrogen oxide too exceed the permissible limit in the area.

Similar outcome is being witnessed in other five parts of the city, where the pollution check metres of KSPCB have been erected.

The records also disclose that the pollution level in sensitive areas has increased beyond permissible limits. These areas include residential, industrial and hospital areas.

KSPCB Chairman Dr H C Sharatchandra told this website’s newspaper that the pollution level in the city was on steady increase. ‘‘Unfortunately, the sensitive areas have larger traffic movement. We are aware of the fact that controlling pollution will take time as people should acquire civic sense, be aware of the situation and not convert green residential areas into commercial spheres,’’ he said.

‘‘It is important to protect the areas housing hospitals and residential complexes, as the increasing pollution level will have diverse effect on the people residing there,’’ Sharathchandra said.

‘‘We should plant trees on the road medians and at the turning points, which are capable of absorbing the noise. Ornamental plant species like Bouginvilla, help reducing the noise,’’ he added.

He also suggested to plan traffic movement and ban heavy duty vehicles from entering core areas of the city.

The pollution check metres in Bangalore are situated at Peenya, Yeshwantpur, KHB Industrial Area, Victoria Hospital, Amco Batteries and Graphite India.