Air quality monitoring station at Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University soon: VC

BHAGALPUR: An air quality monitoring station (AQMS) is likely to be established in the postgraduate department of physics at Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University (TMBU) soon. The station, once established, will monitor the concentration of air pollutants and give details of the climate.
This AQMS is part of the modelling air pollution and networking (MAPAN) project and was supposed to become functional in 2017.However, it missed the deadline because of several obstacles like non-availability of space and three-phase electricity connection.
TMBU vice-chancellor Neelima Gupta on Friday said these glitches have now been sorted. “We have taken a proactive approach for the revival of the project and it may soon become a reality. Once started, it will benefit people of Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and adjoining Nepal,” she said.
Physics department head at TMBU, Jagdhar Mandal, said the AQMS would be equipped with the devices and gas sensors to detect carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and ozone. “It will also have dust particle sensors for detecting PM10 and PM2.5 suspended particulate matters in air. The AQMS will also have devices and sensors for measuring temperature, relative humidity and barometric pressure. “Ultra-violet index sensors will help in accurate measurement and analysis of pollution parameters,” Mandal added.
A memorandum of understanding was signed between TMBU and Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) Pune, in February 2017. The aim is to carry on scientific researches in the fields of air pollution, climate monitoring as well as weather forecast. Sources in the university said the AQMS was to be established in 2017 with an expenditure of Rs 1 crore.