Air quality deteriorates to ‘poor’ category in Kolkata and Howrah

At Rabindra Bharati University in the Sinthi area the AQI was 142, while it was 165 at New Town, the satellite township near Kolkata, reported PTI.

While the AQI was 150 at Fort William at 9 am, in the nearby green zone, Victoria, the AQI level remained at 242, he said.

At the Rabindra Sarobar air monitoring station, the AQI was 128 at 9 am.

On Tuesday, the AQI at Jadavpur was 207 while at Ballygunge it was 213, both considerably higher than 159 and 134, respectively, on Monday midnight.

At Belur in Howrah on Tuesday midnight, the AQI was 213, while it was 195 even in the supposedly green buffer belt of Shibpur Botanical Gardens area in Howrah, reported PTI.

At the industrial town of Ghusuri in Howrah, the AQI was 179 at 9 am.

An AQI between 151 and 200 is considered 'poor', 201 to 300 'very poor', and above 300 is classified as 'severe'.

Environmentalists claimed that particulate matters hung in the air after firecrackers were burst till midnight across the metropolis both on Monday and Tuesday, reported PTI.

"Worsening of AQI cannot be directly linked to bursting of firecrackers, which was less than last year. Also, green fireworks ratified by NEERI were used mostly," the official said, reported PTI.

"Also, we have to establish the relation between sound and air pollution, as sound-generating fireworks don't necessarily cause air pollution, and if the fireworks bursting triggered any rise in AQI, that cannot be linked to bursting of crackers. Most of the fireworks sold and used in this Kali Puja-Diwali have been certified by NEERI," the official said, reported PTI.

"Any worsening of AQI can be attributed to the weather, with pollutants hanging in the air amid hot and humid conditions in the absence of rain or southerly winds...," the WBPCB official said, adding they were analysing the results, reported PTI.

Environmentalist Somendra Mohan Ghosh alleged that loud firecrackers were burst in Kolkata and Howrah on both Monday and Tuesday evenings till midnight hours, far beyond the 8 pm-10 pm window given by the PCB, reported PTI.

"Pollutants hung in the air till Wednesday noon after the frenzied celebrations, with pets and newborns shaken by loud sounds. High-decibel firecrackers were burst everywhere in the city," he said, reported PTI.

Naba Dutta of Sabuj Manch, an organisation of environmentalists, also blamed police and the pollution watchdog for having "failed" to enforce regulations, leaving elderly citizens, ailing persons, children and pets exposed to sound and air pollution, reported PTI.

"Our monitoring team found fireworks bursting in the silence zone areas like R G Kar Hospital surroundings throughout the Kali Puja-Diwali nights," he said.

(With inputs from PTI)