AIR QUALITY MONITORING OF ROORKEE TOWN

Abstract

Adequate knowledge of a situation is a prerequisite for any effective intervention aiming at its modification for achieving certain goals. This is true even in air pollution studies since the ambient air quality plays a vital role in assessment of the extent of pollution levels especially in urban, semi-urban and in rural areas. The concern for quality of urban, semi-urban, rural air quality is being felt due to tremendous increase in anthropogenic activities resulting in deterioration of air quality at a faster rate. As a result, these activities cause environmental pollution and lead to many problems like health effects, visual problems. In India also, much of the interest has been shown and much of the work has been done for maintaining air quality. Recognizing the importance of this, Acts have been passed in the last 20 years. Concentrations of pollutants vary over an area due to combined effects of source configuration and meteorological and topographical features of the area. Thus with the objective of knowing the status of air quality and its probable effects on human, "Roorkee" town a semi urban area was selected as the study area for the present study. Primary pollutants (SPM, S02, Nox) were monitored in the study area .at nine stations. CO, HC were also monitored in :Bus Stand on the day of Kumbh Mela. The sampling was done in all the stations for eight hour interval. The air quality index was also evaluated for observed results. After observing the results the concentration of SPM was observed at high levels. In remaining parameters SO2, NO2 were well below permissible value, except NO2 concentration at bus stand was observed above permissible limits. The concentration of CO was also observed at higher than permissible limits. The air quality index at various locations were calculated and the results say that except bus stand, old Roorkee the remaining stations were observed very clean. iv