All the continuous digging for sewerage and other utilities has taken a toll on the air health of Mapusa.
Annual figures for the year between April 2015 and March 2016 released by the Goa State Pollution Control Board have found that the headquarters of Bardez has the highest concentration of particulate matter (dust) among five towns in Goa with figures that are rivalled only by the station located within the Mormugao Port. Besides having the highest concentration, the market town is the among five towns in Goa to have exceeded the annual limits for particulate matter concentration. Mapusa has unseated Vasco as Goa’s most dusty city.
Trends released by the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) show that Mapusa recorded a concentration of particulate matter 10 (PM10) of 79.70 microgram per cubic metre of air (micro gram/m3) while the annual limit stands at 60 micro gram/m3.
When it comes to particulate matter of a smaller granules (PM2.5) Mapusa once again records 48.26 micro gram/m3 above the annual limit which stands at 40micro gram/m3.
According to detailed figures released by the Board, Mapusa’s air was worst during the month of March with PM10 recording a high of 198 micro gram/m3 and the months of December 2015, January, February and March 2016 all recording PM10 concentrations above 100 micro gram/m3.
Mapusa is rivalled only by the figures of the Mormugao Port monitoring station located near the Fire Brigade station which recorded PM10 concentrations clocking above 100 micro gram/m3 from September onward right up to March with the highest being 192.7 micro gram/m3.
The Vasco da Gama town itself recorded figures lower than that of Mapusa despite its infamous truck movement.
The annual trend for Vasco stood at 60.57 micro gram/m3 for PM10 sized dust, making it just within the limits. Panaji’s figures stood at 64.85 micro gram/m3 while that of Margao and Ponda stood at 53.88 micro gram/m3 and 44.58 micro gram/m3.
Recording stations in the areas affected by mining transportation have also recorded levels of particulate matter to be within the limits with the highest being recorded at Amona of 57.16 micro gram/m3 followed by Tilamol with 48.71 micro gram/m3.
The monitoring of air quality in the State is done through the National Air Monitoring Programme funded by the Central Pollution Control Board with 17 stations being set up across the length and breadth of the state including three industrial estates major towns, areas affected by mining transportation.
While the GSPCB operates three stations on its own, the remaining stations are operated by Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF & CC) approved laboratories.
“The monthly averages of the ambient air quality data indicates that there is an increase in the level of respirable particulate matter, at some locations, however the annual averages indicate that the particulate matter levels are within limits,” the Board has said in its report.
528 samples were collected from all these water bodies and analysed during the year for 27 parameters including biological oxygen demand, total coliform, faecal coliform, chloride, heavy metals, nitrates, phosphates, hardness, etc.
-----------------
WATER QUALITY IN GOA SAFE
* The GSPC Board in its annual release of figures says that “all the rivers mostly satisfy the quality requirement of the designated best uses as recommended by the Central Pollution Control Board”
* The State pollution board has 52 stations across rivers in the state -- 29 in North and 23 in the South -- including wells, creeks, canals, reservoirs etc
