Gasping Sangam: World's third most polluted city

Allahabad: Air pollution levels in Allahabad - the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati - have reached alarming proportions. The Sangam city is third most polluted city in the world and second in the country, reveals World Health Organization's (WHO) urban air quality database, which was released on Thursday.
The dirtiest air was recorded in Sangam city in terms of PM 2.5 (fine, particulate pollution) level.PM 2.5 is associated with more serious health issues than PM 10.
WHO had monitored as many as 3,000 cities in 103 countries between PM 2.5 and 25 in terms of PM 10 (coarse pollution particles) levels.
WHO used data from various government and research organizations for the study, based on ground measurements of annual mean concentrations of particulate matter (PM 10 and PM 2.5).
The city air quality is recorded worst in busy areas (prime market locations and highway connecting roads), wherein vehicles crawling at a snail's pace emit more poisonous gases in the air as compared to construction sites or diesel generators. Experts said that PM 2.5 are fine particles that can penetrate the respiratory system and can pose major health hazards, viz; stroke, heart disease, lung disorders, chronic and acute respiratory diseases, to humans. The annual mean PM 2.5 levels that represent the greatest environmental risks to health are alarmingly high, way above the UN health agency's guidelines and Allahabad chokes at an astounding 170 ug/m3.
Experts, however, pointed out that poisonous gases emitted by vehicles are the greatest source of air pollution and a better transportation and structural system is required to check the menace.
Over five lakh vehicles ply on city roads or pass through Allahabad daily. Regional transport officer (Allahabad) ML Chaurasia said, "At least 60,000 non-commercial (private) and 1,000 commercial vehicles register with RTO annually." He added that seven pollution checking points have been set up in different parts of the city and as many as 400-500 vehicles are challaned on a monthly basis for violating pollution norms.
"Commercial vehicle owners are given seven-year permit while private vehicles get 15-year permit," said the official, adding that once the permit expires, they go through its fitness and maintenance chart before issuing a new permit.
UP Pollution Control Board regional officer SB Franklin said, "Fuel burning and harmful gases emitted by vehicles are prime source of high pollution levels in city. To resolve this crisis, traffic free movement plan is a must."
Posh city areas like Civil Lines, Katra, Chowk among others, recorded a higher pollution level as compared to deserted areas.
The pollution department has, however, set up air quality monitoring stations at five locations, including Alopibagh, Ashok Nagar, Johnstonganj crossing, Laxmi Talkies and Ram Bagh, and officials of civil engineering of MNNIT have been supporting the agency to check the status of pollution.
Experts, however, claim that there are two types of pollution sources - factories and auto-mobiles. They claimed that burning of wood (which emits CO2 gas only) is not a major pollutant, but increasing number of vehicles on the roads is one.