KOLHAPUR: The city once known for its healthy air has seen a steady deterioration of the air quality over the past five years, largely attributed to the vehicular density in the congested areas. Civic officials and environmentalist have called for better traffic management and regular checks of the vehicles plying through the city roads.
The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) data shows that the quantity of respiratory suspended particulate matter (RSPM) and suspended particulate matter (SPM) has seen a two-fold increase in last five years.
The National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) states that the concentration of suspended particulate matter (SPM) in air should not exceed 150 microgram per cubic metre and the respiratory suspended particulate matter (RSPM) should not exceed 80 microgram a cubic metre. The SPM comprises dust, dirt, smoke, soot, smoke and liquid droplets in the air. The RSPM mainly consists particles measuring less than ten microns.
The air quality measured at Dabholkar Corner and Mahadwar Road, two of the city's busiest spots, reached 465 microgram a cubic metre as against the monthly average of 170 microgram per cubic metre. The RSPM has increased from monthly average of 70 microgram a cubic metre to 150 microgram per cubic metre.
Officials attributed the rise in the harmful particulate matter to the steady increase in the number of vehicles on city roads and poor traffic management. The vehicular population of the city has almost doubled in the last five years. Moreover, around 50% of the vehicles are older than 15 years.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) in its orders in April this year had suggested banning of the vehicles older than 10 years, checkbooths at all entry points to check emission standards of the heavy vehicles and overloading of trucks.
MPCB sub-regional officer Manish Holkar said, "Buses and heavy vehicles more than 15 years old are still plying. The transport department should undertake a drive to check the fitness of such vehicles. The increase in air pollution can be attributed to the poor signalling system on the busy roads, which hinders the vehicular flow."
Officials claimed that the rise in stone crushing, mining activities and the poor quality roads have lead to the increase in SPM levels. "The roads need to be decongested by undertaking the measures such as acting against illegal roadside parking, increasing width of the major roads, diverting the heavy vehicles through less congested areas and one-ways for rapid movement," said an MPCB official.
R K Patil, chief of environmental cell of Kolhapur Municipal Corporation (KMC), said the city traffic department should plan one-ways along major roads such as Station Road, Mahadwar Road and Bhausingji Road. "There are limitations in widening roads, however, other measures such as acting against illegal transport and haphazard parking can be undertaken to ensure that cars and buses do not get stuck," he said.
The KMC officials said the facility to measure ambient air quality at just two places was insufficient and wanted the locations to be increased to get a clear picture of air quality in the city. More than 35,000 litres of fuel is consumed by the vehicles within the city limits.
The KMC's Environment Status Report (ESR) for 2014-15 stated that small scale industries also contribute towards the deteriorating air quality. "The manufacturing units located at Udyam Nagar and Y P Powar Nagar do not follow the air pollution control guidelines. The chimneys are less than 35 feet and units have not installed the mandatory air purifying system. Henceforth, industrial units should not be permitted in the residential or city," states the ESR.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) in its orders in April this year while hearing Vardhaman Kaushik versus Union of India over a case pertaining to Delhi has cited three serious causes for pollution. The first being the burning of plastic and other waste from agriculture and horticulture waste in open, secondly resulting from construction and other allied activities emitting heavy dust and lastly and most importantly the pollution resulting from vehicular traffic and industrial emission. The NGT
Environmentalist UdayGaikwad said, "The air pollution concerns can be addressed through infrastructural emphasis. Around 1,200-1,400 trucks carrying mined minerals pass through the city heavily contributing to the air pollution. The ring road's bypassing heavy vehicles can help reduce the emission to a large extent."
BOX: THE AIR WE BREATHE
YearRSPMSPM
201175220
201253110
201363135
201474224
2015114465
(RSPM: Respiratory Suspended Particulate Matter, SPM: Suspended Particulate Matter)
(Maharashtra Pollution Control Board Data for June)
BOX: AIR QUALITY STANDARDS
The National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) states that the concentration of suspended particulate matter in air should not exceed 150 microgram per cubic metre and the respiratory suspended particulate matter should not exceed 80 microgram a cubic metre. The SPM comprises dust, dirt, smoke, soot, smoke and liquid droplets in the air. The RSPM mainly consists particles measuring less than ten microns
BOX: WHY THE RISE
Increase in the emission caused by burning of fuels
Construction and industrial activities
Bad roads leading to dust
Old vehicles and inefficient pollution controlling system in vehicles
Quote
"The buses and heavy vehicles more than 15 years old are still plying and the transport department should undertake a drive to check the fitness of such vehicles. The increase in air pollution can be attributed to the poor signalling system, which has led to hindrance in the smooth vehicular flow" - Manish Holkar, sub regional officer, MPCB
"The city traffic department should plan one ways along the major roads. There are limitations to widening the roads. However, other measures such as acting against illegal transport and haphazard parking can be undertaken to ensure that cars and buses are not stuck in traffic for long period" - R K Patil, head Environment Cell, KMC
