Pollution panel to identify all sources of air pollution, improve air quality in Chandigarh

After receiving ₹10 crore under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) of the central government, the Chandigarh Pollution Control Committee (CPCC) is set to conduct an air-quality monitoring study, ‘Source Apportionment and Emission Inventory’.

It will be for the first time that Chandigarh Pollution Control Committee will carry out a scientific study to identify the “real sources” of air pollution.

The study will help in the formation of a detailed report about various elements and sources which are key contributors to the urban air pollution.

These include air-quality monitoring, emission inventory, chemical speciation and source apportionment of PM10 (particulate matter that is 10 micrograms per cubic metre).

The initiative under NCAP is a five-year action plan starting from 2019. The goal of the programme is to improve the air quality of non-attainment areas.

Chandigarh has for the past five years been considered a non- attainment city, whose annual average ambient air quality standards are not meeting the prescribed norms.

CPCC member secretary TC Nautiyal said the study will assist in providing a scientific base to make better policies and plans to improve the air quality in the city.

“This will also give us an idea of the proportionate source of pollution. For an instance, at present, we keep on blaming vehicles, but their contribution to air pollution is only around 40%. We don't look at the remaining 60%. The study will clear the air and efforts will be made to work on those issues,” he added.

For real-time monitoring, five continuous ambient air quality monitoring stations (CAAQMS) have been approved by the Centre. One station has already been set up at Panjab University.