Not just vehicles, roads kick up dust, cause pollution: Pune survey

Environmentalists have cried hoarse over vehicular emission for the alarming rise in air pollution...

Environmentalists have cried hoarse over vehicular emission for the alarming rise in air pollution, but a survey by the Pune Municipal Corporation points to a different culprit. The corporation’s Air Quality Management cell says paved roads contribute as much as 61 per cent to the PM10 emission. Add to it the fact that Pune is among the most polluted cities in the country.

PM10 is particulate matter suspended in the air below ten microns. These particles are directly respirable and get into lungs.

The study that spanned three year says the total PM10 emission is estimated to be 9,203 tonne per year. Paved and unpaved roads release maximum dust particles in air, while vehicles on road contribute 8 per cent of the total emission.

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“The total PM10 emission in Pune is at least 30-40 per cent higher than normal,” said scientist Ajay Ozha who manages the PMC cell and has conducted the study. “There is more dust from paved roads because roads are not constructed end-to-en. The shoulders or edges are not asphalted. When vehicles move, the dust kicked up gets suspended in air,” he said.

Even though there are some 13.5 lakh vehicles in Pune, their pollutants are not as large as those of the dust particles, says the study. “The size of particles emitted from these vehicles is less than PM 2.5 but more toxic,” said Ozha. Of late, with improved technology, catalytic converters and sulphur quantity in fuel, vehicular pollution is being controlled, he added.

The Pune Regional Emissions Inventory Study done by the AQM, Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) and National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) was awarded the best presentation at the Better Air Quality workshop 2006.

The AQM has also conducted a ward wise survey of emission inventory, which states that Bibvewadi, Aundh and Hadapsar wards have the highest number of PM10 release. The team of students studied the emission in 14 wards on the basis of dust from paved, unpaved roads, mobile (vehicles), agricultural wind blown dust, agricultural pumps, commercial cooking (hotels, bakeries) and slums (firewood, kerosene used for cooking), brick-klins, construction and industrial.