PANJIM: Goa might soon see its air quality being monitored by a low-cost sensor network for more accurate measurement of harmful pollutant concentration in the air.
Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) has accorded in-principle approval to the proposal put forth by Indian Institute Technology (IIT) Goa that recommended the need for deploying the sensor network for more efficient air data collection and analysis.
At the Board meeting last month, GSPCB member secretary Shamila Monteiro informed members about the proposal by IIT Goa to have a collaborative effort with the Board for a comprehensive understating of the air quality data across the State by deploying a low-cost sensor network for more efficient data collection and analysis.
The Board decided to grant in-principle approval for the proposal pending submission of detailed presentation by Dr Thaseem Thajudeen, Research Expertise, School of Mechanical Sciences.
The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) in its recent report has revealed that air pollution was a major killer in 2019 in the State. There were 1396 deaths in Goa in 2019, which were attributable to air pollution and this accounted for 13 per cent of the deaths that year.
States like Maharashtra, Meghalaya have already adopted the concept of sensor monitoring of air quality on a trial basis.