PINAKI MAJUMDAR
Jamshedpur, Nov 27: The ambient air quality in the steel city is not up to the mark, revealed a survey conducted by the Adityapur-based regional office of Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board ( JSPCB ).
According to the survey, conducted earlier this month pollution levels in the steel city and adjoining Adityapur are higher than what they were during the lockdown.
The findings indicated that pollutants like sulphur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) were at par with prescribed limits in Bistupur, Sakchi, Golmuri in Jamshedpur and in the Adityapur industrial area in the adjoining Seraikela-Kharsawan district.
Respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM) was found to be above specified limits in all these places.
JSPCB officials said they conducted the survey to determine the extent of pollutants in the air since more vehicles had started plying and industries had re-opened after lockdown rules were relaxed.
During a similar survey conducted in November last year, there was an appreciable improvement in the air quality index of Jamshedpur and Adityapur due to the Covid-19 induced lockdown which prompted closure of industries and running of diesel-run heavy vehicles and auto-rickshaws, both major contributors to air pollution.
According to the current survey, RSPM at Bistupur was 102 µg/m3, which was 2 µg/m3, more than the permissible limit of 100 µg/m3.
A similar survey in last year November, during the lockdown, had revealed that RSPM was 72.04 µg/m3, which was 28 µg/m3 less than the permissible limit of 100 µg/m3.
At Sakchi, a commercial hub, RSPM was 100 µg/m3 and at Golmuri market it was 104 µg/m3. RSPM in Adityapur, an industrial hub, was marginally higher at 115 µg/m3, 15 µg/m3 more than the permissible limit of 100 µg/m3.
The JSPCB survey team used respirable dust samplers to measure air pollution levels at all places. The survey revealed that sulphur dioxide (SO2) levels in Bistupur, Golmuri and Sakchi were 58 µg/m3, 52 µg/m3, and 65 µg/m3, respectively.
At Adityapur, SO2 was found to be 82 µg/m3. The prescribed limit is 80 µg/m3.
