Three more air monitoring stations for Delhi

NEW DELHI: With Delhi fast becoming the most polluted city in South Asia, the Central Pollution Control Board has decided to install three more air monitoring stations here to update air quality data every 15 minutes.

The equipment, costing around Rs 80 lakh each, would be installed at India Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS) in Dilshad Garden, Netaji Subash Institute of Technology in Dwarka and third one is proposed at Delhi Milk Scheme in Patel Nagar, all highly polluted areas.

"The continuous pollution monitoring devices are being set up in the new three locations witnessing sudden spurt in population, unmonitored industrial areas as well sharp growth in vehicular and human population in these areas," CPCB Director S D Makhijani said.

The new systems to be installed by the Board will be inaugurated on June 5 on the occasion of World Environment Day.

Presently four continuous air quality stations are functioning from Siri Fort, ITO, Delhi College of Engineering in Rohini and through a mobile van which is stationed as per need.

However, as the station at Siri Fort is not giving desirable results in view of changing surroundings, the Board plans to shift it to some other nearby location in South Delhi, the official said.