Central Pollution Control Board

Based on the analysis of air quality data at all the monitoring stations and pollution level categorization, the status of Annual Mean Concentration of NO₂ during 1998 is presented in the Fig 6.6. NO₂ is reported to be high at two industrial and three residential locations in the country. It is observed that NO₂ violation has been recorded mainly in the state of Rajasthan (Udaipur, Alwar & Kota).

Fig 6.6 Status of Nitrogen Dioxide in terms of high, moderate and low Exceedence Factor

6.1.4 Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM)

The annual mean concentration of SPM vis-à-vis number of monitoring stations is presented in Fig. 6.7. It is observed SPM level exceeded annual standards at two locations of sensitive area, 12 locations in industrial and 50 locations in residential area. Table 6.5 enlists the ten locations having top ten highest values of SPM in the country.

Fig. 6.7 Range of Annual Mean Concentration of SPM
vis-à-vis Number of monitoring stations

Table 6.5 Ten locations having highest concentration of SPM
during the year – 1998

· The annual mean concentration of SPM exceeded the National Ambient Air Quality Standard at industrial areas of 12 cities in the state of Karnataka (1), Bihar (1), Delhi (1), Haryana (1), Kerala (1), Maharashtra (1), Madhya Pradesh (3), Rajasthan (1) and U.P. (2).

· The annual mean concentration of SPM exceeded National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for residential areas at 50 locations spread over the states of Andhra Pradesh (2), Bihar (3), Chandigarh (1), Delhi (2), H.P. (1), Karnataka (1), Kerala (2), Maharashtra (8), M.P. (11), Orissa (2), Rajasthan (8), Tamil Nadu (1), U.P. (7), and Pondicherry (1).

· Three locations in sensitive areas located at Taj Mahal, Agra (U.P.), Barkhera, Kota (Rajasthan) and Tekka Bench Ridge, Shimla (H.P.) depicted exceedance of the annual mean concentration National Ambient Air Quality Standard of SPM.

The details of locations wherein 24-hourly values of SPM exceeded the NAAQS for more than 5% of the times are shown in the Fig. 6.8. Table 6.6 provides the number of stations, where either Annual Mean Concentration or 24-hourly concentration (more than 5% of the times) exceeded the respective standards. During 1998, three locations sensitive areas ( Tajmahal at Agra, Barkhera at Kota and Tekka Bench Ridge at Shimla), 21 locations at industrial area and 54 locations at residential areas violated the 24-hourly values of SPM for more than 5% of the times.

Fig 6.8 Percent violation of 24-hourly Ambient Air Quality Standards
(Suspended Particulate Matter)

Table 6.6 Locations where either Annual Mean or 24-hourly Suspended Particulate Matter concentration violated respective National Ambient Air Quality Standards

State	Number of Monitoring Locations exceeding standards
State	Industrial	Residential	Sensitive
Andhra Pradesh	2	3
Bihar	1	3
Delhi	3	2
Haryana	1	-
Himachal Pradesh	-	2	1
Karnataka	-	1
Kerala	3	2
Madhya Pradesh	3	11
Maharashtra	1	9
Orissa	-	3
Punjab	-
Rajasthan	6	8	1
Tamil Nadu	-	3
Uttar Pradesh	2	7	1
Chandigarh	1	1
Pondicherry	-	1
Total	23	56	3

Based on the analysis of air quality data at all the monitoring stations and pollution level categorization, the status of the Annual Mean Concentration of SPM during 1998 (Fig. 6.9) is reported to be critical at 30 and high at 20 residential locations. Also at 12 industrial locations SPM values have been reported high.

Fig. 6.9 Status of Suspended Particulate Matter level in terms of critical,
high, moderate and low Exceedence Factor

6.1.5 Air Quality Overview

Ø Air Pollution problem is wide spread in 59 cities, where at least one criteria pollutant exceeded either annual or 24-hourly standards among the monitoring locations.

Ø Table 6.7 shows the number of stations violating annual standards and 24-Hourly standards for more than 2% of the times in the year 1998 with respect to individual criteria pollutant. It is quite evident that SPM has been the major problem in the residential areas of most of the cities/towns in the country.

Table 6.7 Number of stations violating Annual and 24-hourly standards

Area Class	SO₂		NO₂		SPM
Area Class	24-Hourly	Annual	24-Hourly	Annual	24-Hourly	Annual
Residential	6	1	13	3	22	50
Industrial	3	0	2	2	57	12
Sensitive	0	0	1	1	3	2
Total	9	1	16	6	82	64

Ø High SPM level is the most prevalent form of air pollution.

Ø Motor vehicles are major and most important source of pollution in almost all the mega cities.

Ø High domestic use of coal or biomass fuel is still a serious problem resulting in high prevalence of SPM and SO₂.

Ø The current capabilities of the monitoring agencies to monitor, to collect information on the sources and emissions needs strengthening.

Ø The data has been inadequate for quite a few stations due to non-operation of monitoring stations, paucity of funds, lack of equipments, lack of infrastructure or inadequate man-power.