Vasco dust pollution beyond permissible limits: GSPCB

VASCO, FEB 16
Residents of Vasco appear to be inhaling coal dust way beyond the permissible limits set by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB).
A recent assessment report of pollution in Vasco city and its surrounding areas up to Vaddem was prepared by Italab (Goa) Pvt Ltd Industrial Testing and Analytical Laboratories.
Italab had collected samples of ambient air collected on behalf of the GSPCB from December 8, 2010, to January 2, 2011.
“Yes, the pollution level is beyond the permissible limit and we will inform the court about it and we will issue appropriate directives to MPT,” GSPCB Chairman Dr Simon D’Souza told Herald.
According to the report, Italab monitored emissions of minute particles from the coal dust called ‘Particulate Matter’ (PM) PM10 and PM2.5, which are based on its size.
For the PM 2.5 study, samples were conducted over a period of 25 days from December 8, 2010, to January 2, 2011, during a duration of 12 hours at five different places, Colaco Arcade, MPT Institute, Laxmi Temple, near Sai Narayan Apartment and Mother Mercy High School, Vaddem.
For the PM10 report, monitoring was done in three different shifts for continuously 24 hours commencing from 10 am.
The PM 2.5, which is considered to be smaller size, as they are smaller than 2.5 micrometers (100 times thinner than a human hair), are considered to be hazardous, as they can pass through the smaller airways, can stay in the air longer and can travel farther.
The permissible limits for the smaller PM 2.5 is upto 60 micrometers, while for the bigger PM 10, it is upto 100 micrometers.
Italab’s analyses has suggested that the coal dust is beyond permissible limits at all the five sample collecting points, specially near the operation area at Berth 10 and 11 of MPT, where coal handling is carried out manually.
At the MPT institute, which is near the sample collecting point from the operation area of Berth 10 and 11, the concentration of coal emission of small PM 2.5 has touched 441 micrometers and the bigger PM10 has reached 611 micrometers.
At the Mother Mercy High School, which is at the fag end from the operation area, the concentration of coal emission of small PM 2.5 was recorded as 104 micrometers, while the bigger PM10 touched 125 micrometers.
Incidentally, this is the second such report in recent times to confirm pollution levels in Vasco.
Earlier, the assessment report of National Environment Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) submitted to the High Court in 2008, pointed out that concentration of coal pollution in Vasco was beyond the permissible limits.
NEERI had installed AAQM units at six places in Vasco – Sai Narayan Apartment, MPT Institute, Laxmi Temple (Khariwada), Colaso Arcade, Caldeira Arcade (Mestawada) and Mother Mercy High School (Mercy’s Wada). AAQ samples collected from all the six places were beyond the permissible limit set by CPCB and GSPCB.
The reports further stated that the average Respirable Particulate Matter (RPM) concentration was found to be 275 mg/m3, which is alarming as compared to standard 150 mg/m3 of CPCB and GSPCB.