Uttar Pradesh: Air quality monitoring stations set up at 15 places in Varanasi

A team of experts maintains the data and if any datum does not confirm to the standards, the information is immediately sent to higher authorities

With a view to providing a healthy environment to the people of Varanasi, the state government has set up hi-tech ambient air quality monitoring stations (AAQMSs) at 15 places across the city.

Representational image. (Biplov Bhuyan/HT PHOTO)

The stations were built after identifying the most crowded and industrial areas of the city. The places include Tarna, Panch Koshi Marg, Padav, Cantonment station, Orderly Bazar, Baulia, Kandva, BHU, Adampur, Bhelupur, Maldahiya, Chittaranjan Park, Manduadih, Shastri Chawk and Sarnath.

“The ambient air quality monitoring stations have been built at 15 locations in Varanasi under the Smart City project. The AAQMS have six types of state-of-the-art sensors. They provide real-time information about the standards (level) of pollution in the air,” said Gaurang Rathi, municipal commissioner of Varanasi and also chief executive officer of Varanasi Smart City project. The sensors keep sending air quality index information every ten minutes.

“As soon as the level of harmful gases, including carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen, increases in the atmosphere, the sensors send data along with signals to the integrated command and control centre. In addition, noise pollution, temperature, humidity and ultraviolet rays can also be detected by these sensors. The dust sensors are based on nanotechnology and are also capable of measuring the amount of fine dust particles in the air,” he said.

A team of experts maintains the data and if any datum does not confirm to the standards, the information is immediately sent to higher authorities.These systems detect the dust particles and poisonous gases that pollute the environment and are also harmful to it. They are proving to be effective in curbing environmental pollution, officials said.