Kolkata, Dec 13 (IANS) Environmentalist Somendra Mohan Ghosh has raised concerns over the rising air pollution level in Kolkata, especially in heritage site Victoria Memorial and eco-sensitive areas like the Maidan.

In the letter to the Union Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Ministry and West Bengal Environment Department, Ghosh pointed out that the city’s Maidan, often referred to as Kolkata’s lung, is indeed facing severe air pollution issues, exacerbated by the ongoing Metro Rail project near Victoria Memorial. Recently, the air quality in this heritage site has deteriorated to alarming levels, surpassing Delhi’s pollution levels, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching 342, which falls into the “very poor” to “hazardous” range.

According to the environmentalist, the main contributors to this pollution spike include biomass burning in and around Maidan areas, ongoing metro construction without eco-friendly practices, vehicle emissions, and the use of coal and firewood by roadside food stalls near the Esplanade bus stand.

“Regular water sprinkling around Victoria Memorial to trap dust, adopting eco-friendly practices in metro construction, and restricting old diesel vehicles on Maa flyover near Victoria are some of the steps required to reduce the spike in the air pollution level. It’s crucial for authorities to take immediate action to mitigate this pollution and protect public health,” Ghosh wrote in his letter.

On Friday night, the AQI level continued to remain over 300 in several places in Kolkata. At Victoria Memorial, the AQI was 355 at 10 p.m., while in the Javadpur area, it was 311 (“very poor” to “hazardous” level). During the day, the AQI also crossed the 300 mark in the Ballygunge and Fort William areas as well.

The Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded as high as 385 on December 11 and 378 on December 12.

Speaking to IANS on Saturday, Ghosh said: “Kolkata’s metro projects significantly contribute to air pollution during construction due to excavation dust, uncovered soil transport in open trucks, traffic diversions causing congestion, and general construction debris, leading to spikes in PM2.5/PM10 and impacting local air quality.”

“General construction activities, combined with existing issues like trash burning, worsen air quality. High levels of PM2.5 and PM10 pose severe respiratory and cancer risks, with doctors noting increased lung issues,” he said.

–IANS

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