The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has
deployed sprinklers and mist cannons across this metropolis
in a bid to weed out the air pollution and smog, creating
breathing trouble to the netizens, especially the elderly people
and morning strollers, sources said on Friday.
State urban development minister Firhad Hakim, also the Mayor
of the KMC directed the cosevancy officials to deploy
the mist cannons and sprinklers on the roads, where the air quality
was poor across this metropolis.
Sources said two such machines are in operation for now and more could
be requisitioned if the situation needed, sources added.
The air quality has been affected due to festive seasons with millions
of people from the districts converging into the city to celebrate
Durga Puja, Kali Puja and Dewali.
Crackers were used during Puja and Dewali which had a bearing on
the existing air quality with explosives smoke caused the air
pollution.
Besides these sudden rise of entry of vehicular traffic from the
outskirts of the city carrying people during festival and onset of
wintry dew thickened the
air diring the nights, sources added.
Even after nearly two weeks of festival of lights, the air quality
remained nearly suffocative causing health hazards to the netizens,
especially to the elderly people and children.
In highly populated Ballygunge area in the southern part of this
metropolis the air quality index (AQI) of 296 at 6 pm on Thursday,
Bidhannagar (284) in the east
and Jadavpur (252), also in south was not upto he mark, a media
report. quoting West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB) as saying.
Rabindra Sarobar, called the heart of south, registered 254 AQI at 6 pm.
These are treated as poor in the environmental terms, the report
maintained.
KMC sources said the deployment of the machines drive away dust from
the air to the roads and water sprinklers machines would clean the roads
and restore the air quality at specific time.
