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Maharashtra Pollution Control Board has no real-time data on air quality in Mumbai

The reason being that while, these were inaugurated on June 6 this year, MPCB has till date failed to provide real-time updates online.

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The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board’s (MPCB) 10 new Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS) across Mumbai will serve no purpose for Mumbaikars, who would want to check the air quality in their area during Diwali when the air quality index (AQI) is known to deteriorate. The reason being that while, these were inaugurated on June 6 this year, MPCB has till date failed to provide real-time updates online.

While Mumbai had 10 air quality monitoring stations setup by System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) under the Ministry of Earth Science that monitored AQI based on five parameters including- PM10, PM2.5, Carbon Monoxide, Nitrogen dioxide and Ozone, the MPCB proposed setting up of 15 CAAQMS across Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) by end of 2017- of which 10 were located in Mumbai that would monitor air quality based on 12 parameters mandated under the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (2009).

Despite the 15 air quality monitoring stations being inaugurated during the State Environment Day function on June 6 by Environment Minister Ramdas Kadam no data for any of the stations located in Mumbai including that of Colaba, Worli, Santacruz airport, Kurla, IIT- Powai, Mulund, Vile Parle, Kandivali, Borivali is available for public except for Bandra and Sion, which are the old air quality monitoring stations.

As per MPCB officials while the data from the monitoring stations was available on the VMS boards installed at the 10 locations they were working on putting the data online. “What is the use if the data is not available online for common man to see and understand the air quality. The stations were inaugurated six months ago but MPCB has not been able to put data online,” said an air pollution expert stating that recently during a conference an MPCB had stated each air monitoring station cost around Rs 1.60 crore.

AIR MONITORING STATIONS

  • Mumbai has air quality monitoring stations at Colaba, Worli, Santacruz airport, Kurla, IIT- Powai, Mulund, Vile Parle, Kandivali, Borivali, Bandra and Sion
     
  • MPCB had stated each air monitoring station cost around Rs 1.60 crore
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