Noida twin towers demolition: Know how wind determines air pollution caused by blast

The massive demolition exercise in Noida Sector 93A saw 100-metre-tall twin towers razed to the ground today. An unwanted by-product of the flattening of the ‘illegal’ Supertech structures will be air pollution due to dust and smoke in Noida.

Hospitals are on high alert for any health emergencies due to the demolition. The air pollution caused is determined by the direction of the wind. Experts opine that the hazard should be minimal. However, what will be the actual impact of the demolition, is not an easy question to answer right away.

"How long the effect will remain it’s difficult to say, but it all depends on environmental conditions as well,” Dr Rakesh Kumar Gupta, Director of Government Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS) in Greater Noida was quoted on the impact of the demolition.

Experts overseeing the demolition have taken steps to control the impact of the resulting dust on residents. However, razing such a huge structure causes smoke and dust. So the direction of the air will dictate which localities are at risk of air pollution. However, it being an open air demolition, experts suggest it is safer than if it would have been underground, like mines. 

"When you demolish a big structure like that there will be dust and there will be some smoke because you are using explosives. So, the direction of the air matters. The direction of the wind should also be taken into consideration. Demolishing like this or rather an explosion happening in the open air is much safer than, say, underground mines," says Dr Mrinal Sircar, Head Pulmonology and Critical Care, Fortis Noida.

In underground scenarios, where the pollution is difficult to dissipate, various exhaust techniques are used to sew it out in the ambient air.

"The dust and gases will get diluted in the air and will get dispersed. The experts who are involved in such big demolitions will take care of all these things," Dr Sircar said.

Whatever air poisoning the air pollution causes should get diluted in the air in the next few hours, making it safe for people to return. 

Meanwhile, authorities have installed special dust machines at the demolition site to monitor pollution levels after the flattening of the twin towers into tonnes of debris.

READ | Noida twin towers demolition: How 3,700 kg explosives will flatten the 100-metre-tall illegal structures