Maharashtra records 1,700 gg of PM10 emission each year

Maharashtra witnesses at least 1,700 giga gram of particulate matter (PM10) emissions per year, with wind-blown road dust being the largest source, a study has revealed.

As per a study conducted by an environmental researcher from March 2019 to 2020, wind-blown road dust accounts for 29 per cent of PM10, while residential sector contributed to 22 per cent emission in the state.

Environmental Researcher Dr Saroj Kumar Sahu in his study claimed that Maharashtra had recorded a PM10 emission of 1,700 gg per year, with wind-blown road dust being the largest contributor at 29 per cent in 2019-2020.

Emissions from the transport sector were at 10 per cent, while construction activities accounted for 6.5 per cent, followed by municipal solid waste burning at 5.3 per cent, crop residue burning at 5.7 per cent, among other sources, stated the study conducted by Dr Sahu, an assistant professor at Utkal University in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.

Open burning of municipal solid waste has created a new challenge, which readily releases several types of air pollutants into the atmosphere, it stated.

As per the reports of PTI, Dr Sahu has been developing national and city-specific emission inventory for various critical air pollutants and greenhouse gases by understanding the role of regional sources and changing policy with time.

"Maharashtra is the country's most prosperous state and has excelled in the industrial, agricultural, automotive and tourism sectors. It is also the most urbanised state, with more than 50 per cent population living in urban areas and the second-most industrialised with 37,102 industries as of 2020," Dr Sahu said. The estimated PM emission load in Nagpur was 105 gg per year, while in Chandrapur it is 78 gg per year and Amravati 53 gg, he said.

In unorganised sectors, construction activities account for 9 per cent and municipal solid waste burning 5 per cent, while subsector slum cooking contributes 7 per cent and street vendors 4 per cent to PM emissions, he further stated.