With pollution and dust levels rising, the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) has decided to keep tabs on ambient air quality through real-time monitoring stations in five cities in the State.

The UPPCB will set up two real-time monitoring stations each in Noida, Greater Noida, Ghaziabad, Muzaffarnagar and Baghpat.

On Friday, the UPPCB invited tenders from environmental laboratories recognised by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change for operating and maintaining the monitoring stations for a period of three years.

Environment activist Vikrant Tongad, who has often highlighted the need for ambient air quality monitoring in Uttar Pradesh, had also written to the Board complaining about lack of steps taken in this regard.

‘Urgent need’

Mr. Tongad had also pointed out that the two existing stations in Noida were not functioning.

“The only two monitoring stations in Noida do not work, while the Greater Noida authority has failed to set up any such station despite assurances,” he said.

“There is an urgent need for such real-time ambient air quality monitoring stations at Sectors 37, 82, 150, 25 and the Noida Expressway. In Greater Noida, stations should come up at Chapraula, Tilpata, and Kasna.