According to a survey conducted by an NGO, Waatavaran Foundation revealed that the residents of Kharghar, Panvel and Taloja belt are breathing polluted air.
According to a month-long air study carried by the environment group, during the early morning hours, the pollution was its peak. This, in turn, poses a threat to morning walkers and joggers. However, the residents are inhaling polluted air for almost 17 hours every day.
The study also found high levels of Particulate Matter (PM2.5) in the air of these areas early in the morning between 6 am to 8 am. Many of these are a complex mixture of dust, pollen, soot and smoke and are hazardous, making them responsible for lower visibility and smog. They are fine particles that can stay in the air for days or weeks and are small enough to invade the narrowest of lung airways and cause health ailments.
Meanwhile, the air quality data collected across this belt also indicated that Panvel witnessed ‘bad air days’ throughout the one-month period, where most days had crossed the Indian standards of permissible levels of air quality. Average PM 2.5 levels at 7 am.
The NGO conducted the study at five places from November 13 to December 13 by installing five low-cost real-time air quality monitors.
One monitor was installed at MIDC area of Taloja, while four in residential areas including sector 13 in Panvel, sector 36, and sector 7 in Kharghar and Navade in Taloja.
Of all the five locations, the PM 2.5 levels at MIDC, Taloja was found to be the highest. Pollution levels at Taloja MIDC have risen to alarming levels due to toxic gases being released into the air from companies, ongoing construction, and smoke from vehicles passing through the highway.
Pollution levels of up to 200 PM have been recorded in the air quality checked for a consecutive month. If the level of air pollution is below 60 PM, it does not affect the human body.
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