Kolkata and its adjoining areas are witnessing rising pollution levels alongside the intensifying winter cold. According to West Bengal Pollution Control Board data, the city's air quality (AQI) on Sunday was around 300, which falls under the 'Poor' category. Reports from multiple air monitoring stations across the city, from Alipore to Salt Lake, have revealed a concerning picture.
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According to environmentalists, during winter, the air near the ground becomes cold and heavy. As a result, smoke from factories or vehicles and toxic particles cannot rise upward. They remain trapped within a layer of air near the ground, much like under a lid. This is scientifically termed 'inversion'. Environmental scientists fear that as winter intensifies, air pollution levels may increase proportionally.
While Salt Lake area's air quality remained under control for the past week, it suddenly deteriorated to the poor category on Sunday. On the other hand, pollution levels have somewhat decreased at the Victoria Memorial area, where air pollution typically remains high during most of December.
According to the West Bengal Pollution Control Board, the main cause of pollution at Victoria area was dust from Metro Rail construction work. However, the situation has improved somewhat after the board alerted the army and Metro Rail authorities.
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Additionally, the situation in other parts of the city, Fort William and Jadavpur, is also quite concerning. The situation in Ballygunge is equally worrying. However, on a positive note, pollution levels at Rabindra Sarovar in South Kolkata are considerably lower.
