ENVIRONMENTAL STATUS

Bhopal

The noise levels in Bhopal City is exceeding the limit prescribed at all the monitoring places under the categories residential, commercial and silence zones. Only exception was Govindpura Industrial Area, where recorded noise levels were within the limits, both during the day & night time. Maximum noise level to which the residents in residential locality are exposed during night time was as high as 85.2 dB(A) in Arera Colony. Similarly, in a silence zone, the maximum noise to which the inmates of Hamidia Hospital are exposed was high as 86.6 dB(A) during day time. Among the commercial areas, Berasia Road was found noisy and the people living in surrounding areas are exposed to very high noise upto 101 dB(A) during day time. In the institutional areas also, noise was found high. Noise level at Vallabh Bhawan, State Secretariat was recorded as 86.4 dB(A) in day time.

As on 31.03.1999, the total registered vehicles in Bhopal were 2,59,171 for a population of 14.00 lakh approximately. In addition to these vehicles, there are 25,652 other vehicles, registered as Govt. vehicles. The vehicular growth has registered annual growth rate of 13.6% during the last eight years and the number of vehicles have nearly doubled from 1,30,317 in 1991 to 2,59,171 in 1999. The highest growth was witnessed in the two wheeler category (109.5%) followed by cars and jeep (87.8%) and passenger vehicles (79.8%).

It is estimated that total vehicular pollution load in Bhopal city is 326.2 MT per day, contributed by both diesel and petrol vehicles in the ratio of 7% and 93% respectively. Out of total pollution load of 326.2 tonnes per day, the major constituent is Carbon Monoxide with quantity of 215.6 tonnes per day followed by Hydrocarbons 92.1 tonnes per day and NO_x 13.6 tones per day. The Light Tonnage Vehicles (LTV), including two wheelers were found contributing 84.4% of total pollution load i.e. 275.2 tonnes per day. The Heavy Tonnage Vehicles (HTV) are responsible for emitting large quantities of NO_x. Ninety percent of SO₂ emissions were found due to HTV & MTV.

A study of the groundwater quality in Bhopal was conducted and important findings are as follows:

• The ground water was found to be hard in most of the locations indicating natural hydrogeological features of Bhopal city.
• In an indicative survey, twenty locations spread all over the city were selected for collection of ground water samples. One time samples were collected from all locations and analysed at Zonal Office laboratory for seventeen parameters relevant for domestic use including drinking.
• At eleven locations, the ground water quality was found satisfactory. Total coliform were found in almost all places except two locations, E-1 Arera Colony & Ahmedabad. Feacal coliform was detected at Panchsheel Nagar and Narela Shankari. Presence of Faecal Coliform at these two locations indicates ground water contamination by sewage.

Lucknow

Lucknow the Capital and second largest city of Uttar Pradesh suffers from obvious consequences of rapid urbanization, industrialization and strain in natural and manmade resources. A study was conducted by CPCB during 1996 to ascertain the State of Environment of the city. Later-on during the year 2000, another study was undertaken to update the status. During this study, monitoring of various sources of pollution covering drains, river, water supply, ground water, traffic census, AAQM, auto exhaust monitoring, industries, were conducted. Besides the above various concerned departments like RTO, Jal Sansthan, Gomti Pollution Control Unit, UPPCB, Dept. of Tourism , Nagar Nigam etc. were interacted. Compilation of the data and preparation of the report is under progress. Following observations can be made based on the study-

Entire sewage and a major portion of industrial waste water is still finding their way to River Gomti, without any treatment. However plannings are at their final stage to construct two STPs at Lucknow to treat the sewage.

In many areas of the city, the drinking water is not meeting the desired norms. As compared to 1996 status, an additional filtration plant has come into operation to cope up the water demand to some extent. Still the collection, transfer and disposal of MSW is not being practiced as per the prescribed standards. A common incinerator for bio -medical wastes for hospitals of Lucknow has been installed and been given to M/s Surabhi Envirotech to cover 120 nursing homes . The capacity of the incinerator is 75 kg/hr. A number of polluting industries are operating in the city which are not treating their waste waters upto the desired levels and similar case applies with air polluting units also. Disposal of hazardous wastes is also not as per the mark. However some of the industries have improved the pollution control measures. A significant improvement in the traffic flow and ambient air quality was noticed. This is due to banning the tempos in many areas of the city. The tempos now plying are either fitted with scrubbers which reduce the emission load by about 75 % or battery operated. Constructions of fly-overs have also eased the pressure of traffic congestion to a large extent.

Sundarbans

A detailed study with respect to various environmental parameters was conducted in Sundarbans ecosystem. The most striking observation was that the Sundarbans sediments contained various heavy metals containment, like lead, copper, chromium, nickel, cobalt, zinc and cadmium, in varying concentrations besides presence of pathogens both in water and sediment.