Karnataka State Pollution Control Board plans two more air monitoring stations

Bengaluru: With air pollution in the city increasing in leaps and bounds, Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) is considering installing two more air quality monitoring stations in the city, though the locations are yet to be decided.

A senior official at KSPCB said, “We are planning two more air quality monitoring stations. The budget allocation to set up these real-time monitoring stations across the state is Rs 96 crore.” At present, there are over 26 monitoring stations of which the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) runs five. Last year, five monitoring stations were set up at Kavika on Mysore Road, Nimhans, Hebbal, Silk Board and Jayanagar 5th block. The board started real-time monitoring in 2017 on their website after all the five stations were standardized.

However, one major impediment the board faces in setting up the monitoring stations is lack of space. An official who preferred anonymity said, “There are guidelines for setting up a monitoring station, the most important one is that the site should be open from all sides.”

Activists are hoping that once the data on pollution levels is available, the scientific community and medical fraternity can analyse it and come up with solutions. “The scientific community can come up solutions after doing an in-depth analysis of the surge in pollution levels in certain areas. There was a research done in the US which revealed that air pollution is affecting the menstrual cycle. The problem is serious,” said consultant with Centre for Sustainable Development, Mahesh Kashyap.