Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 5: The air quality of Jammu city has been improved by over 60 per cent during the ongoing lockdown, which started in ending March.
This was stated in a study conducted by the J&K Pollution Control Board.
The improvement in the air quality has brought some respite to the people who have largely remained indoors during the ongoing lockdown, which was enforced in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic.
India has the dubious distinction of having 13 out of the 20 most polluted cities in the world with Kanpur being the most polluted city and Delhi coming 6th.
As per the Lancet Commission, 6.5 million deaths occur worldwide due to the air pollution annually, out of which 2 million people die in India alone. Air pollution in the 5th largest killer in India and India has world’s highest death rate related to chronic respiratory asthma.
However, a silver lining in the current lockdown has been marked improvement in the air quality not only in Jammu city, but across the country as well as across the globe.
As per the analysis of air monitoring data of the past decade, J&K Pollution Control Board has concluded that there is a 62 per cent reduction in PM 10 particulate matter as compared to the lowest levels of the past decade. The PM 10 level stood at 38.5 mg/m3 and PM 2.5 was 13.05 mg/m3. This is largely attributed to minimal vehicular emission, industries activity, negligible commercial activity and halt in the construction sector, etc.
It is pertinent to mention that National Clean Air Program (NCAP) launched in 2019, provided for air quality monitoring network expansion, formulation of city specific plans and achieving 20 per cent to 30 per cent reduction in pollution levels by 2024 including the two non attainment cities of Jammu and Srinagar.
Accordingly, J&K Pollution Control Board is going to establish two Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS) shortly one at Jammu and Srinagar each, which will give real-time data of Ambient Air Quality in the UT of J&K. the process of acquisition of equipment has already been initiated.
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