HYDERABAD, NOV. 21. Though there is a decreasing trend in noise and air pollution during Deepavali, pollution levels continued to be above the national standards if the measurements made by the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB) between November 11 and 13 in different parts of the capital, including residential and commercial areas, is any indication.
On an average, the noise level recorded on Deepavali day was 94 decibels, exceeding the national standard of 55 decibels for residential areas during the day -- between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Average noise levels were measured at Vengalraonagar, Tarnaka, Banjara Hills, Abids, Ameerpet, Khairatabad and Uppal.
And, they were high on all the three days -- at 85 decibels, with a deviation of 70.9 per cent from the national standard.
Gaseous pollutants like sulphur dioxide (SO2) and oxides of nitrogen (NOx) were within the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) of 80 µ/m3 except on the Deepavali day when the recorded level was 136 µ/m3. This meant a deviation of 70.6 per cent. Carbon monoxide level was, however, within the standard of four µ/m3.
Particulate matter levels like the Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter (RSPM) and the Total Suspended Particulate Matter (TSPM) were high with the festival day recording 208 µ/m3 and 463 µ/m3 respectively. The national standards were 100 µ/m3 and 200 µ/m3 respectively. Deviation was therefore, 108 per cent and 131 per cent, respectively.
The ambient air quality and particulate matter levels were measured in 11 stations.
The silver lining, APPCB officials said, was that the pollution levels were showing a gradual reduction In 2002, the average noise level on a normal day was 80 decibels and on Deepavali day 116 decibels, a deviation of 111 per cent. In 2003, it was 82 decibels and 98.7 decibels respectively, a deviation of 79.4 per cent.
For gaseous pollutants (2002), SO2 concentration was 59 µ/m3 on the Deepavali day compared to 12 g/m3 on a normal day; in 2003 it was 22 µ/m3 and 5 µ/m3. For NOx in 2002, it was 98 µ/m3 on the festival day and 22 µ/m3 on a normal day; in 2003 it was 74 µ/m3 and 28 µ/m3. It showed that while SO2 levels were within the standards, NOx was higher than the national standard. Not much variation was observed for CO in the last two years.
For RSPM, in 2002, it was 1,297 µ/m3 on the Deepavali day and 90 µ/m3 on normal day; in 2003 it was 551 µ/m3 and 87 µ/m3. For TSPM, in 2002 it was 1,611 µ/m3 and 245 µ/m3 & in 2003 it was 735 µ/m3 and 230 µ/m3. It showed that particulate matter was more than the national standard.
