Bengaluru's air quality poorer by 5% every year

BENGALURU: Is Bengaluru on the brink of a pollution implosion? The answer is yes, going by sinking quality of air in the city. Data by the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) shows the annual average increase in the levels of Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter (RSPM), an indicator of air pollutants, is 5%.
There are also apocalyptic fits: in 2013-14, the Victoria Hospital junction recorded 88 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m3) of RSPM in 2013-14.It jumped to 244 µg/m3 next year.
But KSPCB officials aren't surprised. They say the increasing pollution levels are in synchrony with the rising number of vehicles: 8% every year.
"The dangerous signal is that pollution levels are no more low in residential areas. Áreas like Yeshwanthpur, Siddapura and BTM Layout too are seeing high pollution levels," says B Nagappa, scientific officer, KSPCB.
Implement laws, says environmentalist KS Naveen. "The norms laid down by the KSPCB are not in sync with that of industries in Bengaluru. Vehicular pollution can only be fought by improving quality of public transport and it does not mean adding more buses!" he quips.

"Create green zones in the city. Let the local governing agencies plant native trees and fruiting trees and not just plush lawns. These areas should be free from vehicles," says urban expert Suresh K.