E-Paper
17 districts in Punjab not equipped to monitor air quality
As hazy conditions engulfed several parts of Punjab for the fifth consecutive day on Friday with paddy stubble burning as a key contributor to air pollution, 76% of the state districts lack continuous ambient air quality monitoring stations (CAAQMS).
As hazy conditions engulfed several parts of Punjab for the fifth consecutive day on Friday with paddy stubble burning as a key contributor to air pollution, 76% of the state districts lack continuous ambient air quality monitoring stations (CAAQMS).
During the current kharif crop harvesting season, Sangrur, Tarn Taran and Ferozepur have registered a large number of paddy stubble burning incidents but there is no official data on air pollution at these places. Environment experts say in the absence of validated data, public policy to improve the air quality index (AQI) takes a backseat.
Of the 23 districts, Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) has installed gadgets in only six and there is no official mechanism for constant monitoring or analysis of air quality in 17 other districts.
Ludhiana, Punjab’s largest district has the maximum three monitoring stations at Khanna, Mandi Gobindgarh and Ludhiana city, and Bathinda, Jalandhar, Amritsar, Patiala and Rupnagar have one CAAQMS each.
On the contrary, the neighbouring Haryana has 32 CAAQMS covering all 22 districts, say officials.
According to Ludhiana-based Punjab Remote Sensing Centre (PRSC) data, of the 6,029 incidents of paddy stubble burning recorded till November 8, Sangrur tops the chart with 1,050, cases, followed by Ferozepur 754 and Tarn Taran and Amritsar tied at third with 639 cases each.
Mansa Kapurthala, Fatehgarh Sahib, Moga and Gurdaspur are also recording several farm fire rates, but these places fail to get attention of the policymakers regarding the poor air quality in the absence of continuous ambient air quality monitoring stations.
According to the data, Punjab recorded 730 farm fires on Friday with Sangrur leading with 163 cases followed by 121 in Ferozepur and 80 in Bathinda. Muktsar district witnessed 64 farm fires while Moga logged 62 incidents.
Sunil Mittal, a professor in the department of environmental science and technology of Bathinda-based Central University of Punjab, said that since several industries across Punjab districts have air monitoring stations on their campuses, the state authorities should get data from all such units at a common platform to audit pollution levels.
“Multiple factors are responsible for air pollution and the authorities need to focus on improving the AQI. Punjab needs an extensive network of monitoring stations for greater transparency in air quality. But it is possible only if we have data on pollution levels. There should be round-the-clock monitoring of pollution levels as the adverse impact of burning organic waste can be felt in the air we breathe. A long-term policy can be formed only if the government has a database to highlight the seriousness of an issue,” Prof Mittal said.
PPCB chairperson Adarsh Pal Vig said on Thursday that there is no proposal to install new CAAQMS in the state as “Punjab has a robust air monitoring network across.”
“The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) is considering to integrate independent CAAQMS working in Punjab with other such facilities,” he added.
