Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board needs modern gadgets: Ecologist

Visakhapatnam: Lack of resources and equipment with the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board to monitor carcinogenic pollutants has turned out to be a major concern.

As the city is a major industrial hub and more industries are coming up, the types of pollutants are also increasing. However, the pollution control board has failed to upgrade its facilities to gauge the new pollutants.

For instance, the board has no equipment to monitor mercury being released from the power plants and is outsourcing it to hospitals.

Studies conducted on the city environment show that rapid industrialisation has not only generated new pollutants but also various byproducts of the pollutants.   

“The major challenge for us is to monitor the pollutants properly when industries of different sectors are being set up. When the Asian Paints would start functioning we have to ensure a mechanism to monitor lead parameter in the ambient air quality monitoring system. Besides, ammonia and chlorine being released from various industries have to be gauged properly. We are trying our best to include new parameters in the monitoring stations,” said APPCB zonal head (Visakhapatnam) B. Madhusudhan Rao.

“To prepare an action plan to check pollution-level in the city, we need to find out what are the threatening pollutants and their level. APPCB had entrusted Gitam University to conduct a survey of the city environment. We have submitted the report recently categorising the areas as per the pollution level. We need more equipment and resources to include new parameters in the study,” said environment engineer S. Ramakrishna Rao.

The APPCB has now roped in former Central Pollution Control Board member secretary B. Sengupta who had conducted air pollution assessment case studies for Delhi, to asses the air quality in the city.