First Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Station Inaugurates in A&N Islands

Sri Vijaya Puram, Sept 29: The first-ever Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Station (CAAQMS) in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands was inaugurated at VIP Road near ITF Ground, Sri Vijaya Puram, South Andaman. This Station is part of a nationwide initiative by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), New Delhi to install CAAQMS in all States and Union Territories (UTs) to monitor real-time air quality. The initiative aims to provide timely and accurate data on air pollution levels, enabling better environmental management.
The Station was inaugurated by Mr. A.S.P.S Raviprakash, IAS, Secretary (Science and Technology) –cum- Chairman (ANPCC), in the presence of Mr. Abhishek Bhukal, Director (Science and Technology) cum-Member Secretary (ANPCC) on Sept. 25, 2024.
During the inauguration, the Secretary- (Science and Technology) –cum- Chairman (ANPCC) appreciated the efforts of the Department in setting up the CAAQMS, highlighting the Station’s capability to provide real-time ambient air quality and Meteorological data 24×7 throughout the year.
The project in Sri Vijaya Puram has been made possible with financial assistance and technical support from the CPCB, New Delhi. The Andaman and Nicobar Pollution Control Committee (ANPCC) has procured the CAAQMS for Sri Vijaya Puram, South Andaman, with financial and technical support provided by the CPCB for the procurement and installation. The Station was set up by M/s Environment SA India Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai, following a tender process facilitated by the ANPCC.
The CAAQMS is capable of monitoring real-time data on air pollutants including CO, SO₂, NOx, NH₃, O₃, PM₁₀, and PM₂.₅, as well as Meteorological data. The data from the CAAQMS will be transmitted to a local server at ANPCC, Department of Science and Technology, Dollygunj and to the Central Server at CPCB, New Delhi. To ensure public accessibility, two digital display boards viz. one 8×12 feet at Aberdeen Bazaar and another 4×7 feet at ITF Ground, have been installed to show the real-time air quality data.
This development marks a significant step towards ensuring better air quality management in the region and provides critical data to help safeguard the health of the community.