Visakhapatnam: On World Environment Day (June 5), if major pollutants in the city are taken into consideration, it is coal dust that continues to pose a major threat to city environment. Among PM 10 and 2.5 particulate matters, the quantity of coal dust is found out to be high.
According to APPCB, all five ambient air quality monitoring stations in the port area of city records PM 10 at 90-95 ug/m3 on an annual average against the normal standard of 60 ug/m3. What is more disconcerting is that in all 14 monitoring stations the level of PM 10 and 2.5 exceed the annual average limit of 60 and 40 respectively. The annual average of PM 10 was found 67 ug/m3 while PM 2.5 at 42.
“Curbing pollution caused by coal dust is a major challenge for us. A new monitoring station is coming up at Visakhapatnam Port Trust next week to help us to monitor coal dust being released from the port,” said R. Laxminarayana, environment engineer, APPCB, Vizag.
“Moreover, sea wind is fanning out the coal dust, causing problem not only to the port area but across the city. The bowl shape of the city with mountains on the three sides and sea another side is also preventing the coal dust from getting released in open area,” he said.
The PCB claims that marine pollution is in control and there was no threat to marine ecosystem on Vizag coast.
“A study carried out by National Institute of Oceanography two years ago showed that the effluents being released into the deep sea from the industry has not had any impact,” said Mr Laxminarayana.
Former bureaucrat and environmentalists E.A.S. Sarma however questioned the report of NIO. “As NIO is taking up projects with regards to marine data collection for various private enterprises, its neutrality could not be completely trusted," he said.
