AIR-POCALYPSE

If commuting on Ashram Road makes you nauseous, don’t be shocked. You are breathing in the most polluted air in the city; industrial areas such as Narol and Odhav are less polluted

It might not shock you if told that Delhi is the most polluted city in the world (World Health Organisation report last year). But what if you get to know that the air you are breathing in aapnu Amdavad is more poisonous? Ahmedabad records the highest dangerous concentration of air pollutants in the country on certain days every month, if the data procured from the state’s first air quality index station in Maninagar is anything to go by.

But if you think that air pollution is highest in industrial areas, you are mistaken. The air in commercial and residential areas is most poisonous with highest concentration of unhealthy pollutants. Ashram Road and Sabarmati are the most polluted in the city, while air pollution is within limit in Narol and Odhav, data from Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) suggests (see box for pollution levels in different areas).

Ashram Road most polluted

On Ashram Road, the concentration of particulate matter PM 2.5 and PM 10 (particulate matter) is considered most serious and can cause respiratory diseases and other health problems. It has recorded PM 2.5 levels of 504 microgram per metric cube (µg/M3), while the permissible limit was 200 µg/M3. Further, the area records PM 10 which is 97 per cent above the limit level.

Closely following in second place is Sabarmati. The permissible level of PM 2.5 is 200 µg/M3 whereas it has gone up to 367 µg/M3, which is 83 per cent higher than the permissible air pollution limit. Similarly, PM 10 concentration rose to 129 µg/M3 which is 29 per cent above the permissible level of 100 µg/M3.

On the other hand, industrial areas like Narol, Naroda and Odhav have recorded air pollution which are within the prescribed limit. “Industrial areas due to on-going construction work should supposedly record most air pollution. But it is shocking to know that residential areas top the list. This will have adverse effect on the health of people,” said Mahesh Pandya, an environmentalist.

The poor air quality has seen a spurt in heart-related ailments in the city. PM 2.5 is the deadliest form of dust particle which goes deep into lungs. Due to its small size it can go directly into the bloodstream, which is extremely hazardous especially for young and aged people who are exposed to it.

Suresh Mehta, a 41-year-old businessman who lives by Ashram road, was diagnosed with asthma two months ago after he started suffering from breathlessness even while climbing steps.

“I have never had any breathing problem. But now I am taking treatment for asthma. I earlier took my bike to office, but have bought a car to avoid the air pollution while travelling,” Mehta said.

Traffic and industrial pollution are considered most harmful to the environment and human beings. The state government under the then chief minister Narendra Modi had invested crores of rupees on the betterment of transport facilities. BRTS buses were introduced, but sadly these expensive buses run on diesel.

“In 2006, the Bhurelal Committee had recommended converting all public vehicles into CNG to curb air pollution, but nothing has happened so far,” said Pandya. Moreover, there has been a steady rise in the usage of private vehicles which emit large quantity of pollutes in the air.

ST buses that travel through the city run on CNG. “The air quality recording station near Nehru Bridge on Ashram Road gets traffic from across the state, including North Gujarat ST buses that pass through this road. And there is no regulation to control it,” the environmentalist said.

However, officers from GPCB beg to differ. They aver that most BRTS buses use advanced Euro IV model which emits less pollutants. “AMTS buses have been upgraded with CNG facilities similar to local low-floor buses. However, the traffic retention at these junctions is high which emits more pollutants,” said a GPCB officer seeking anonymity.

Is city set to cross Delhi?

Though state government is not ready to accept WHO report, it is an undeniable fact that on certain days Ahmedabad has even crossed Delhi in recording highest air pollution in the country

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the commencement of India’s first Air Quality Index (AQI) on April 6, this year. The index was launched to provide real time information on pollution levels in 10 cities, namely Delhi, Agra, Kanpur, Lucknow, Varanasi, Faridabad, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad.

On April 29, the Maninagar station recorded highest air pollution with 268 on AQI. As per the Central Pollution Control Board’s Air Ambient Quality Standard, the accepted level of PM 2.5 is 60 micrograms for a 24-hour period. However, the city crossed the ‘very poor’ performance by recording 364 micrograms at 4 am.

Again, on May 15, the city registered highest average air pollution with 246 in AQI whereas Delhi recorded only 232. More shockingly, on May 2, the city crossed the danger limit line by recording 458 micrograms of PM 2.5 at 11pm.

These striking facts may have been cause for concern, but GPCB refuses to accept it. GPCB Secretary Hardik Shah said, “The online data only shows half the story. According to CPCB, the city is at 80th position in air pollution in the state.”

Regarding the WHO report of placing Ahmedabad as 5th most polluted city in the world, GPCB has written a letter to WHO. “They had misinterpreted the fact. It was recorded only on a single day when the air pollution increased due to unknown reasons,” Shah said.

The pollution parameters whose concentration is measured in ambient air include PM 2.5, PM 10, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, ozone, ammonia and lead.