Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, July 14: J&K got its first real-time air-quality monitoring station with inauguration of first ever Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Station (CAAQMS) at JKPCC headquarters Rajbagh, Srinagar by Chairman J&K Pollution Control Committee, Suresh Chugh, here today.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by Member Secretary, JK PCC, B.M. Sharma; Regional Director, JK PCC Jammu, Dr. Nadeem Hussian; Regional Director, JK PCC Kashmir, Rafi Ahmad Bhat; Legal Advisor JKPCC; FA/CAO JKPCC; scientists, district officers of JK PCC and other staff of Kashmir region.
The inauguration was followed by a detailed presentation by Subrat K. Kant, DGM of M/s Environment SA, which has provided the equipment and is looking after the operation and maintenance.
Terming it as a major achievement of J&K PCC, Chairman thanked all the officers and the entire team for putting in their best efforts in successful installation and commissioning of the station which saw many hiccups and delays due to COVID-19 pandemic.
The CAAQMS, which was put on trial run for two months before its inauguration, is a highly sophisticated equipment that gives real time air quality data of a particular area especially the key parameters like PM10, PM 2.5, NOX, SOX, Ozone which determine the air quality of that area. The installation of CAAQMS has been mandated in all the non-attainment cities across India including Jammu and Srinagar.
Chairman informed the gathering that the air quality monitoring network shall be established and later extended to all district headquarters of J&K in due course of time. Further, two similar stations are going to be established in Jammu province.
During the presentation, it was informed that the air quality data generated by CAAQMS has been linked with CPCB portal (https://app.cpcbccr.com/AQI_India/) and the Air Quality Index has been made public enabling any person sitting in any corner of the world to access the Air Quality of Srinagar city.
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