Port Blair, Nov. 10: Air Pollution is a great concern in today’s world, especially for people who suffer from respiratory health issues. Awareness about air pollution is important for the citizens against pollution caused due to the use of fire crackers, causing higher danger to lives and health of the vulnerable groups.
In compliance of the orders of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India and Hon’ble NGT Order Dated 23-10-2018 in the matter of O.A No.728 of 2015, the Andaman & Nicobar Administration has taken various steps to control the Air Pollution due to bursting of fire crackers by restricting the timing only to two hours between 8 pm to 10 pm during Deepawali.
As per the directions, the Andaman and Nicobar Pollution Control Committee (ANPCC) is carrying out the short term monitoring of Ambient Air and Noise levels for the upcoming Deepawali festival. The monitoring program aligns with the protocol of the Central Pollution Control Board, New Delhi.
The ANPCC has installed three monitoring stations at Aberdeen Bazaar, Dollygunj and Chouldari area. These stations will be operational for 15 days, commencing from 7 days prior to Diwali (starting from 5th November 2023) and concluding 7 days after Diwali (ending on 19th November 2023). The parameters to be closely monitored include Sulfur Dioxide (So2), Nitrogen Dioxide (No2), Particulate Matter 10 (PM10), Particulate Matter 2.5 (PM2.5), metals such as Lead (Pb), Nickel (Ni), and Arsenic (As) in PM10, as well as selected metals/elements like Aluminum (Al), Barium (Ba), and Iron (Fe) in PM2.5. Additionally, noise levels will be continuously monitored on both pre-Deepawali and Deepawali days.
This year, Deepawali falls on 12th November, 2023 and ANPCC’s monitoring program will extend from 5th November 2023 to 19th November, 2023, ensuring data collection during the crucial 7 days before and after the Diwali festival.
The Ambient Air Quality is calculated by Air Quality Index (AQI). The AQI has six categories from Good to Severe to define Air Quality and to make people understand the severity of the Air Pollution.
The Air Quality Index (AQI) will be calculated based on the data recorded during the monitoring. In the previous year (2022), the AQI was assessed as “Good” at Aberdeen Bazaar and Dollygunj Station. The ANPCC’s efforts are aimed at maintaining and improving air and noise quality during the festival to ensure a safe and healthy environment for the residents of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
