State capital’s air quality continues to dip: IITR report

Cracker bursting, stubble burning further increasing pollution, says study

LUCKNOW: As people here get busy with festive preparations, a new study by the Indian Institute of toxicology Research (IITR) paints a worrying picture of the pollution level in the state capital.

Lucknow was ranked seventh among the most polluted cities of the world in a World Health Organisation (WHO) report released in May, this year. The findings of the IITR report -- ‘Assessment of Ambient Air Quality of Lucknow City’ -- throws more light on this abysmal state of affairs.

“All residential areas of Lucknow were found to have a high level of particulate pollution. The PM 2.5 and PM 10 concentration in residential areas, including Gomti Nagar, Charbagh, Indira Nagar, Vikas Nagar and Aliganj, were found to be more than double the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS),” said director IITR Dheeraj Dhawan, quoting from the report.

The average PM 2.5 level in residential areas was recorded at around 100, while the NAAQ standard is around 60. The situation is much worse with regards

to PM 10 level. Average PM 10 level was found to be 198, which is double the NAAQ standard of 100. The WHO standards for PM 2.5 and PM 10 concentrations are much lower -- 25 and 50 respectively.

According to experts, particulate pollution affects the respiratory system. PM 2.5 particulate pollution is more hazardous, as it affects at the alveolar level, they

say.

The study, headed by DC Barman, also examined levels of gaseous pollutants such as sulphur dioxide and nitrous gases. Due to the absence of heavy industrialised zones in nearby areas, the average gaseous pollution in the city was found to be lower than the national standard.

The report also compares the findings with those of previous years. The pollution level was found to be rising gradually for every pollutant from 2015 onwards.

Apart from air pollution, experts also recorded noise pollution in the state capital. According to the report, the noise level in both residential and commercial areas was higher than the national standards. With a noise level of 71.9 dB, Aliganj was found to be the most polluted among residential areas, followed by Gomti Nagar at 71.5 dB. Aminabad, with sound level of 79.3 dB, was found to be the noisiest among all commercial areas here.

THREATS: CRACKERS, AGRI RESIDUE BURNING

“Burning of fire crackers during festivals is foremostly responsible for deteriorating air quality,” stated the IITR report, while commenting on the rise in pollution observed after monsoon. The report further said that burning of farm waste (crop stubble) was another factor that worsened the air quality. Their effects were magnified due to dip in temperature post monsoon because of formation of an inversion layer that trapped pollutants near the ground level, mentioned the report.

DATA GATHERED FROM SEVERAL LOCATIONS

IITR experts collected data from several locations across the city -Aliganj, Vikas Nagar, Indira Nagar, Gomti Nagar, Charbagh, Alambagh, Aminabad, Chowk and Amausi -- for the report.