BENGALURU: In the last state budget, the then government has allotted Rs 98 crore for installation of air monitoring stations and Deccan Chronicle has learnt from the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) that there are plans to set up more air monitoring stations in the city and industrial clusters across the state.
“We have sent the proposal to the government for the installation of air monitoring stations in the highly polluting regions across the state, especially the regions with mining and cement industry such as Bidar, Kolar, Raichur and Kalaburagi. From the KSPCB, we may have two more air monitoring stations,” said Lakhsman, KSPCB Chairman. Last year, the board had announced the installation of air monitoring stations in Udupi, Haveri, Koppal, Gadag, Chikkaballapura, Rammanagara, Madikeri and Yadagiri.
The chairman now claims that most industries have on their own installed monitoring stations with the equipment being approved by the KSPCB and Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Under Monitoring of Indian National Aquatic Resources System (MINARS) scheme highly polluted areas mostly alluded to mining areas and industrial clusters, which include cement and pharmaceutical industries, would be given preference for the monitoring of water quality as well.
At present monitoring under MINARS is done from 58 locations across the state.
Bannerghatta Park Recently, Bannerghatta National Park (BNP) made headlines for the illegal quarrying operations that had resulted in the contamination of air and water quality in Anekal region. If sources are to be believed then the region may have a monitoring station.
Tree doctor Vijay Nishanth stressed on the urgent requirement of a monitoring station near the park, given the Indian Institute of Science’s (IISc) report on the spike in the pollution level due to the quarrying operations. “This is one of the important forest reserves and this should be protected at any cost. The KSPCB can install one in the city and if the industrial clusters and mining areas are on their mind, then a monitoring station is needed near the park,” he added. Last year, the board had installed 29 continuous ambient air quality monitoring stations at different locations across the state.
