Maharashtra to set up 53 more CAAQMS; machine installation in few weeks: Official

Maharashtra currently has 69 air quality stations, and the addition of 53 new stations will increase the total to 122

Mumbai: The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) is in the final leg of setting up 53 continuous ambient air quality monitoring stations (CAAQMS) across the state, an official said.

The stations, each costing ₹9 crore, will monitor PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations, as well as levels of carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, ammonia, and ozone. (Representative photo)

Maharashtra currently has 69 air quality stations, and the addition of 53 new stations will increase the total to 122. “We have identified the areas where the stations will be located; the machines are expected to be installed in the next few weeks,” an MPCB official said.

The stations, each costing ₹9 crore, will monitor PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations, as well as levels of carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, ammonia, and ozone. They will also measure wind direction, wind speed, ambient temperature, relative humidity, solar radiation, and rainfall.

All these stations will be connected to a server, and readings can be accessed through the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) website or CPCB’s Sameer app.

Among the 53 new stations, 22 districts such as Beed, Nandurbar, Palghar, Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, and Satara will get their first air quality monitoring stations, while areas such as Mira-Bhayandar, Ulhasnagar, Thane, and Bhiwandi will get additional ones apart from the existing stations.

Locations for three stations are yet to be decided.

“Placing AQI stations in Beed and other districts will help assess the impact of all the industries in these areas and the impact of garbage burning and other issues and tell us the urgency of tackling these issues,” Bhagwan Kesbhat, founder of environmental organisation Waatavaran, said.

Around 36 districts will see a wider network of AQI stations. “This will strengthen data and record collection and help researchers widen the scope. When data are available, people also become more aware of the problems. The administration can take data-driven decisions, but these stations should be placed strategically and not only in greener zones,” Kesbhat said.

Environmental experts had expressed the need to increase air quality monitoring, which will aid research and provide wider coverage of all areas to understand air pollution better.

At present, Mumbai has 28 CAAQMS stations, out of which five are managed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), nine by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), and the remaining 14 by the MPCB.

An additional 15 stations are planned to be installed in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). “We often say that the air from surrounding areas pollutes the city; if strategically placed, these stations can help identify the root causes and hotspots which can be tackled immediately,” added Kesbhat.