5.1.1 Status of RSPM Monitoring

The RSPM levels in residential and industrial areas in various cities is shown in Figure 5.1. RSPM exceeded the NQQS (Annual average) at all the locations in residential areas except at Panchayat Raj Office, Visakhapatnam and Santhome, Chennai. RSPM levels exceeded NAAQS (Annual Average) at all locations in industrial areas except at Nacharam, Hyderabad, Industrial Estate, Visakhapatnam, Eloor, Cochin, Parel, Mumbai and Thiruvottiyur, Chennai.

The air quality, with respect to respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM) in terms of low, moderate, high and critical in the cities/towns monitored during 1999 is presented in Table 5.3.

Critical levels were observed in the residential areas of all the cities except Chennai. Critical levels of RSPM were observed in industrial areas of Kanpur, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad. High levels of RSPM were observed in industrial areas of Delhi, Jaipur, Solapur, Dehradoon and Kolkata.

NAAQS (24-hourly Average) of RSPM was violated at all the monitored locations during 1999 except at Industrial estate, Visakhapatnam and Thiruvottiyur, Chennai

RSPM levels exceeded the NAAQS at most of the monitored locations indicating that RSPM is a pollutant of concern in India. RSPM levels in Delhi were observed to be higher at traffic intersections which indicates that vehicles are one of the major sources of RSPM in Delhi and strategies to mitigate RSPM levels in Delhi should focus on reducing vehicular emissions.

Table 5.3: Air Quality Category for RSPM at various Locations