PANAJI
The city that has been going through unplanned and merciless digging for months leading to dust pollution and traffic chaos, is the most polluted place in Goa.
The report of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change for the year 2021 indicates alarming level of pollution despite Panaji being a coastal city with advantage of sea breeze to clear the air.
Minister of State for MoEF&CC Ashwini Choubey, in his reply in Rajya Sabha also presented the status of Ambient Air Quality data of 389 cities of the country in terms of Particulate Matter 10 (PM10) concentrations for year 2021.
While Panaji is the highest in Goa with 73 microgram per cubic meter (µg/m3), the Particulate Matter 10 (PM10) concentration is much above the safe limit of 60 µg/m3.
The capital city is ranking at 230 among 389 cities of the country, while eight other places including two industrial unit zones and a sub-town also have PM 10 levels above the safe 60 µg/m3.
These places include Cuncolim 67, Usgao-Pale 64, Ponda 63, Codli 62, Kundaim 62, Tilamol 62, Bicholim 61 and Honda 61.
The PM10 levels in µg/m3 of other cities include Sanguem 60, Amona 59, Margao 59, Tuem 59, Vasco 58, Assanora 58 and Mapusa 57.
In 2021, the Goa State Pollution Control Board had stated that pollution levels crossed the ‘red mark’ in the state’s mining belt long with the capital, Panaji, and rural areas in Kundaim.
As per the live air quality index forecast, Goa is unhealthy for sensitive groups as the weekly data indicates poor air quality will prevail till Sunday while it will be moderate till February 16.
