On Friday, two places in Kolkata had “bad” air quality, while five other areas had “moderate” air quality, indicating the beginning of a decline in air quality that has become a yearly occurrence in the city during the winter.
One of the seven air quality monitoring stations operated by the West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB) in the city did not register “good” or “acceptable” air quality on Friday, according to a WBPCB official. This may be the first time since last winter.
The official added Friday may be the first day since last winter when two stations have showed poor air quality. The Central Pollution Control Board states that extended exposure to “poor” air can make most people’s breathing uncomfortable. “Moderate” air makes it difficult for persons with heart, lung, and asthma disorders to breathe.
During Diwali, all seven monitoring sites recorded “excellent” and “satisfactory” air quality, which experts attributed to rain washing away hazardous substances generated by firecrackers.
The Central Pollution Control Board assigns six categories to locations based on their air quality. The two middle grades are “moderate” and “poor.” A further decline would be the worst.
The continuous air quality monitoring stations at the Victoria Memorial and the Rabindra Bharati University campus on BT Road recorded “bad” air quality on Friday. At the monitoring sites at Ballygunge, Bidhannagar, Fort William, Jadavpur, and Rabindra Sarobar, air quality values were “moderate.”
Both the Victoria Memorial and Rabindra Bharati University had a high concentration of PM2.5, which are tiny particles that can cross barriers and mingle with blood. The harmful particles can enter the bloodstream, travel to any organ, settle there, and cause health issues.
Although emissions may be at the same level as in the summer or during the monsoon, due to meteorological variables, the air closer to the ground becomes more polluted throughout the winter.
The air closer to the ground remains chilly as temperatures drop throughout the winter and does not rise as quickly as it does during the summer. The effect is that the poisonous substances that are released into the air are confined closer to the ground for a longer period of time.
Taking in air that is full of dangerous contaminants might cause short-term or long-term ailments. Rainfall during the monsoon keeps the air clean by washing away harmful substances. Besides the temperature dropping, the wind speed also decreases as winter draws near. Stronger winds aid in the greater dispersion of the contaminants.
On Friday, the high reached 30.9 degrees Celsius. The India Meteorological Department’s Kolkata office’s website indicated that the wind speed at 5.30 p.m. was 0 kmph.
“The government’s efforts should be directed at curbing local emissions and not allowing them to rise,” said Abhijit Chatterjee, an associate professor in the environmental science section at Bose Institute.
“Open burning of solid waste and biomass, which is common from evening till night, has to be curbed. There are many such points of burning and the accumulated result is bad for the air,”