AMBIENT AIR QUALITY MONITORING REPORT DURING LOCKDOWN May 25- June10, 2020
The State Pollution Control Board Sikkim has been conducting ambient air quality monitoring under the National Ambient Air Monitoring Programme in eight stations in the state of Sikkim. As per the analysis conducted, the ambient air quality in the state has been well within the permissible limits as per the provisions of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981. Despite the lockdown, monitoring of Air quality is being conducted by the Board as per directives of the CPCB. Air quality is categorized into various indices such as good, satisfactory, moderate, poor, very poor & severe. As per the comparative analysis of the data generated for the average air quality index of March, April & May 2020, the state is well within the permissible limits and improvement has been observed after the implementation of the lockdown. The restriction in vehicular movement in addition to closure of all construction activities is likely to have contributed to the decrease in air pollution levels in the 1st and 2nd phase of the lockdown. However during the 3rd phase of lockdown in which vehicular movement was allowed along with transportation of construction material the air pollution levels has shown a slight increase although the values are within the permissible limits. Ravangla is the only station that has shown gradual decrease in the air quality pollution index which may be due to the fact that it receives more rainfall during the South West Monsoon season.
|
SN
|
Station
|
March 2020
|
April 2020
|
May 2020
|
|
1.
|
Deorali, Gangtok, East Sikkim
|
60 (Satisfactory)
|
21 (Good)
|
38 (Good)
|
|
2.
|
Rangpo, East Sikkim
|
62 (Satisfactory)
|
38 (Good)
|
38 (Good)
|
|
3.
|
Singtam, East Sikkim
|
53 (Satisfactory)
|
32 (Good)
|
31 (Good)
|
|
4.
|
Namchi, South Sikkim
|
34 (Good)
|
10 (Good)
|
24 (Good)
|
|
5.
|
Ravangla, South Sikkim
|
26 (Good)
|
25 (Good)
|
15 (Good)
|
|
6.
|
Mangan, North Sikkim
|
33 (Good)
|
13 (Good)
|
20 (Good)
|
|
7.
|
Chungthang, North Sikkim
|
23 (Good)
|
10 (Good)
|
17 (Good)
|
|
8.
|
Pelling, West Sikkim
|
27 (Good)
|
9 (Good)
|
14 (Good)
|
National AQI Category and its associated health impacts
Previous 5 Months AQI of Eight Stations at Sikkim (Source: SPCB Sikkim)
|
SN
|
Year
|
Rangpo
|
Singtam
|
Gangtok
|
Ravangla
|
Namchi
|
Pelling
|
Chungthang
|
Mangan
|
|
1.
|
Sep ’19 (26/09/19)
|
55
|
48
|
28
|
27
|
35
|
9
|
16
|
24
|
|
2.
|
Oct ’19 (28/10/19)
|
NA
|
NA
|
43
|
26
|
25
|
26
|
NA
|
22
|
|
3.
|
Nov ’19 (29/11/19)
|
61
|
53
|
47
|
28
|
28
|
23
|
22
|
35
|
|
4.
|
Dec ’19 (12/12/19)
|
66
|
54
|
45
|
25
|
28
|
19
|
NA
|
38
|
|
5.
|
Jan '20 (09/01/20)
|
77
|
51
|
52
|
27
|
26
|
28
|
NA
|
18
|
Source: State Pollution Control Board Sikkim
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