9 months ago
Kolkata Pollution Fueled by Road Dust, Not Just Vehicles: Study
Imagine the air in Kolkata is like a big soup of tiny particles that make it hard to breathe.
People used to think cars and factories were making the soup the dirtiest.
But a new study found something surprising!
The biggest problem is actually dust from the roads.
This road dust makes up a lot of the yucky stuff in the air.
Cars and factories also add some, but not as much as the dust.
In the winter, people burning things in their homes also makes the air worse.
Sometimes, pollution from other places, like Bangladesh, blows into Kolkata too.
So, to make the air cleaner, city leaders need to focus on cleaning up the roads and stopping dust, not just looking at cars and factories.
Road dust is identified as the leading cause of air pollution in Kolkata, contributing significantly to PM10 and PM2.5 levels.
Vehicles and industrial emissions are found to be lesser contributors to Kolkata's air pollution compared to road dust.
Biomass burning in residential areas during winter exacerbates air pollution levels.
Transboundary pollution, particularly from Bangladesh, adds to the city's particulate matter, especially in summer.
The study recommends comprehensive measures like road paving and modernization of crematoriums to combat pollution.
- Who
- The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) for the West Bengal Pollution Control Board
- What
- A study revealing that road dust is the primary source of air pollution in Kolkata, rather than vehicles or industries.
- Where
- Kolkata
- When
- Recent study findings published recently.
- Why
- To identify the main contributors to Kolkata's worsening air quality and inform effective pollution control strategies.
Key facts
- Leading Pollutant
- Road dust (35% PM10, 16% PM2.5)
- Vehicle Contribution
- 10-12% PM10, 15-18% PM2.5
- Industrial Contribution
- 14-16% PM10, 17% PM2.5
- Transboundary Pollution
- Approx. 13% ultrafine particulate matter in summer (from Bangladesh)
- Kolkata Municipal Corporation Contribution
- 47% PM10, 40% PM2.5 (summer months)
- Study Commissioned by
- West Bengal Pollution Control Board
- Study Conducted by
- The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI)
Quotes
Kalyan Rudra
Chairman of the Pollution Control Board
“emphasised the urgent need for action targeting dust and smoke, rather than focusing solely on vehicular and industrial emissions.”
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