The public can be sensitised to the extent of air pollution Residents of Thiruvananthapuram will soon receive first-hand information of the extent of pollution in one of the busiest regions in the city. The Kerala State Pollution Control Board (PCB) has proposed the setting up of a continuous ambient air quality monitoring station at Thampanoor. Currently, the PCB has established five air-quality monitoring stations and display screen across the State. These included three such facilities that were formally launched by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday on MG Road and in the Eloor industrial belt in Kochi, and in Kozhikode. The monitoring agency had earlier established similar units in front of its headquarters at Plamoodu Junction and at the Vytilla mobility hub in Kochi. According to PCB chairman K. Sajeevan, a proposal has been put forth for setting up a monitoring station at Thampanoor, preferably at the roundabout near the Thiruvananthapuram Central railway station and the KSRTC Central bus terminal. Kannur has also been identified for the next set of monitoring stations, he said. Real-time data “The facility provides real-time information of the changing air quality. With Thampanoor experiencing high traffic volumes, the public can be sensitised to the extent of air pollution,” Mr. Sajeevan added. The air-quality monitoring system is capable of measuring all common pollutants, including ozone, nitrogen dioxide, nitrogen oxide, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, volatile organic compounds, hydrogen sulphide, particulate matters, and non-methane hydrocarbons. It also evaluates noise levels and meteorological parameters such as rainfall, temperature, wind speed, pressure, and humidity. Each monitoring station cost around Rs. 1 crore and ensures round-the-clock display of live data. Capable of keeping track of minute changes in air quality, such facilities are aimed at creating awareness among the public and generating ideas to ensure that the pollution levels are kept within the prescribed limits.