VISAKHAPATNAM: Visakhapatnam’s air quality dipped sharply on Friday, triggering concern among denizens and authorities alike, after the city recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 253 at 8.30 am, placing it in the ‘Airpocalypse’ category.
The reading was marginally higher than that of the national capital New Delhi, which reported an AQI of 244 at the same time. Over the past few days, the city’s AQI has largely hovered between 220 and 280, marking a sustained decline in air quality.
Amid growing public concern, the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB) convened an urgent review meeting on Friday to assess the sudden deterioration in ambient air quality, and initiate immediate remedial measures. The meeting, chaired by APPCB Chairperson P Krishnaiah, brought together senior officials from Visakhapatnam and Anakapalle districts.
Reviewing data from Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations and manual monitoring points, he noted elevated concentrations of PM 10 and PM 2.5.
‘Continuous monitoring of air quality must’
Officials attributed the rise in particulate matter to a combination of vehicular emissions, resuspension of road dust, construction and infrastructure activities, industrial and port operations, bulk material handling and unfavourable meteorological conditions associated with winter.
District Collector MN Harendhira Prasad pointed to additional contributors such as road excavation for underground cabling, indiscriminate dumping of construction and demolition waste, open burning of garbage, spillage during waste transportation, and congestion at major traffic junctions.
He said committees would be formed to assess dust levels at identified hotspots.
GVMC Commissioner Ketan Garg stated special task force teams would be constituted to control dust pollution.
APPCB Board member Panchakarla Sandeep highlighted the need for more continuous air quality monitoring stations, noting that only one such station is currently operational near the RTC Complex. He also suggested surprise checks of Pollution Under Control certificates of RTC buses.