Gurgaon to get second ambient air quality monitoring station by next month

The second ambient air quality station is part of a bigger project by the Haryana government with a total investment of Rs 10 crore. Under the project, nine ambient air quality monitoring stations are planned across the state.

The city will get one more ambient air quality monitoring station by next month. There is currently only one monitoring station for the whole city and, as a result, air quality from just one area is monitored.

Gurgaon, India- June 14: Air quality monitoring station at Vikas Sadan building, in Gurgaon, India, on Wednesday, 14 June 2017. (Photo by Parveen Kumar/Hindustan Times)

“The tender process is complete and we are on track. The city will get a second station by the end of next month,” JB Sharma, regional officer, Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB), said.

He said the station will be set up at a cost of Rs 1 crore and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) officials will provide assistance in setting it up.

The second ambient air quality station is part of a bigger project by the Haryana government with a total investment of Rs 10 crore. Under the project, nine ambient air quality monitoring stations are planned across the state.

These stations will be set up in Panipat, Sonepat, Dharuhera in Rewari, Bahadurgarh, Karnal, Kaithal, Yamunanagar and one additional station each in Gurgaon Faridabad near sectors 55,56.

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The location of the station is not yet final as a survey is being conducted to shortlist the three best locations for the project. Officials said they are deliberating over a location in Manesar and another on Gurgaon-Faridabad road . “We have to ensure that the location is not near an industrial unit as that might impact the air quality reading,” he said.

The city’s air quality has been marked ‘poor’ for most part of the year owing to the perennial construction work and unregulated plying of diesel autorickshaws. There has been a demand from experts to monitor air quality of different areas as well.

“It is not possible to get accurate data through one station. There is a need for more air quality monitoring stations and we need both particulate matter (PM) 2.5 and PM10 readings to get a clear picture,” Anumita Roy Chowdhury, executive director, Centre of Science and Environment, said.

The lone station in the city is located at Rajiv Chowk, HSPCB officials said.

“The city’s only air quality monitoring station is near the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway, hence, the reading is not accurate as it is affected by vehicular pollution,” said Shakti Singh, environmental engineer, HSPCB.