Your morning walk may cause more harm than good

PM2.5 can not just create smog and reduce visibility in a neighbourhood but also cause numerous health complications

The seemingly better planned and greener belt of Kharghar-Panvel is filling the lungs of its residents with fine particles, particularly in the morning hours, a study has found. Air quality data collected from the area shows higher pollutant levels than permissible limits on most days.

With the help of low-cost monitors, NGO Waatavaran Foundation tracked particulate matter or PM2.5 for two hours starting 6 am every day between November 13 and December 13 at MIDC-Taloja, Sector 13 (Panvel), Sector 36 (Kharghar), Navade-Taloja and Sector 7 (Kharghar).

PM2.5 is the finest of the air pollutants and is known to cause respiratory ailments. It can also trigger smog and reduce visibility in the surroundings. Waatavaran founder Bhagwan Kesbhat said, "The study was done to not only understand the air quality that people from the Kharghar-Panvel-Taloja breathe daily, but also highlight the fact that the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board and the civic body have failed to provide a real-time air quality monitoring system."

Himself from Kharghar, Kesbhat said monitoring air quality is the first step towards tackling air pollution and is key to framing effective policies.

What the study found

Highest PM2.5 levels - average 141.1 μg/m3 - were recorded at 7 am. Residents at the five locations breathe polluted air for about 17 hours daily.

Farah Thakur of Waatavaran, who analysed the data, said the average PM2.5 stood at 101.12 μg/m3, which is 1.7 times the Indian standard of 60 μg/m3 and four times the WHO limit of 25 μg/m3. "At an average 139.27 μg/m3, the PM 2.5 levels at MIDC-Taloja were found to be the highest."

The NGO plans to share the findings with the Panvel municipal commissioner, local elected representatives and the state pollution control board. It has also suggested a host of steps, including a check on industrial emissions and road dust, to improve air quality in the area.

What experts say

Dr Sundeep Salvi, director of Pune-based Pulmocare Research and Education Foundation, said PM2.5 can trigger asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and heart ailments and stroke in the elderly.

"It is now up to the local authorities to take this issue seriously and plan strategies to reduce air pollution in Panvel," said Dr Salvi. Reducing emissions at source is the best way to achieve breathable air quality, said Sunil Dahiya, an analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.

There is a need for real-time monitoring of air quality with scientifically validated technology, said Ronak Sutaria, the founder and director Mumbai-based air quality researchers Respirer Living Sciences Pvt. Ltd.

5
No. of locations where air quality was tracked for 31 days

141.2μg/m3
Average PM2.5 levels, the highest, recorded at 7 am

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