Srinagar: The ambient air quality of Gulmarg, the world famous tourist resort, has been found to be in the pink health by States Pollution Control Board. However, the ambient air quality monitoring stations in five out of four locations in this summer capital of the state have found pollution levels above permissible limits.
For the first time in history, the ambient air quality at Gulmarg was sampled by the SPCB on 09 August this year and results indicates that the Particulate Matter (PM) 10 level is 53.07 microgrammes per cubic metre (µgm/m3) against the permissible limit of 100µgm/m3.
Similarly, the measurement of the more harmful, PM2.5, is 40.95 µgm/m3 as against the permissible limit of 60 µgm/m3 .
The information was revealed by the SPCB before a division bench of Chief Justice Badar Durrez Ahmed, and Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey during the hearing of a Public Interest Litigation.
Such monitoring of the air quality should continue and, we hope that the State Pollution Control Board would acquire equipments for real time monitoring of the ambient air quality in Gulmarg also so that over a period of time it would be known to us as to whether the air quality has remained the same or has deteriorated. In the case of the latter, remedial measures could be taken, the court said.
The Pollution Control Board also revealed results of pollution in Srinagar. Following courts directions, the SPCB set up five new Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations at Boulevard (Dalgate), Jahangir Chowk, Parraypora), Soura and Rajbagh . The new monitoring stations not only monitor PM10 but monitor PM2.5. The monthly average data of particulate matter (PM 2.5) for the month of July was monitored at all but Soura monitoring stations. The data showed that PM 2.5 at Rajbagh was 75. µgm/m3, Parraypora:94.32 µgm/m3, Boulevard: 100.62 µgm/m3 and Jahangir Chowk : 124.71 µgm/m3.
Meanwhile, the SPCB submitted data regarding the water quality measurements at the six identified sites at Gulmarg for the month of July.
The State Pollution Control Board now has data for three months with regard to the water quality. Therefore, they may analyze the same and report to the Court, as to whether any remedial action is necessary for improving the water quality, and if there are any areas of concern, the court said and directed that measurement of water quality shall continue on a monthly basis.
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