The Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board (RSPCB) has set up continuous ambient air quality monitoring stations (CAAQMS) in seven cities of the state, including Kota.
Till now, the board had been monitoring air quality in Kota and many other cities with the help of manual air quality monitoring stations, which did not give the real-time data.
Now, with the board setting up CAAQMS, it will have real-time data of air quality in the cities automatically.
Informing about the project, Amit Sharma, regional officer, RSPCB, said that the National Ambient Air Quality Programme of the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest has set several parameters for tracking contents in the air including sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter (PM), PM10 (particulate matter having size up to 10 micron), PM25 (particulate matter size up to 2.5 micron), ozone, carbon monoxide, ammonia and benzene.
“CAAQMS monitors such contents with precision,” said Sharma, adding that such air quality monitoring stations have been set up in Kota, Udaipur, Jaipur, Pali, Alwar, Bhiwadi (Alwar) and Ajmer. “They will soon start functioning after formal inauguration,” he added.
Sharma said that RSPCB has spent ₹1.66 crore on each CAAQMS. In Kota, CAAQMS has been set up at Shreenathpuram Stadium. The Urban Improvement Trust (UIT) has provided land for the purpose. However, the monitor has been set up at Daudayal Joshi Park in the city.
The air quality data collected by CAAQMS will not only be displayed on the monitor, but also sent to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) online.
Sharma said that Jaipur, Jodhpur and Udaipur already had one such air quality monitoring. “All these cities in which CAAQMS have been functioning are ‘non attainment cities in terms of air pollution’ as air quality norms are not followed in such cities,” he added.
He said Kota will soon get two more CAAQMS, which will be established by the CPCB.
