Maninagar ambient air quality worse than Beijing

Ahmedabad: An emerging danger for air quality of Ahmedabad city is rising levels of res pirable particulate matter of 2.5 microns (PM 2.5) -about fifty times smaller a human hair's thickness. Thanks to unchecked vehicle emissions, construction and factory emissions from the city's periphery, for Amdavadis, to draw breath is becoming a risk in itself.
On Thursday, the real time air quality monitoring station of the central pollution control board (CPCB) measured the PM 2.5 levels at 8.32 pm to be 184 micrograms per cubic metre in Maninagar. This was not only three times higher than the permissible limit of 60, but also higher than that of Beijing, which measured a PM 2.5 presence of 176 microgram per cubic metre.
With a steep hike in fines the state department of transport plans to curb vehicles that do not check their emissions.A fine of Rs 1,000 has been fixed for such offences. "The steep hike in fines for lluting vehicles was a long polluting vehicles was a long pending demand. At least, when people are compelled to pay, they start getting their vehicles checked for PUC certifications," said principal research scientist, GERMI, professor N S Varandani.lluting vehicles was a long polluting vehicles was a long pending demand. At least, when people are compelled to pay, they start getting their vehicles checked for PUC certifications," said principal research scientist, GERMI, professor N S Varandani.