Air quality monitoringdevices installed in city

Patna: Centre for Environment and Energy Development (CEED) has installed air quality monitoring devices in the city in collaboration with 'India Spend'. Over 45 such devices are installed in various parts of the country to assess the real time data of air quality.
"In Patna, five such devices have been installed at Patna Junction area, Gandhi Maidan, Phulwarisharif, Danapur bus stand and Patna City.A detail analysis of data will be available every 15 days. These devices were installed on May 15 in Patna. On June 7, the results or early trends of pollution will be made available to the common people," says CEED CEO Ramapati Kumar.
India Spend is the country's first independent streaming air quality monitoring network built on low cost devices. The basic purpose of installing this device is to inform the public about the real time situation. "We hope to engage with government to work together to develop the clean air action plan for Bihar. The data will be used for education purpose as well," Kumar told TOI.
Since the analysis is not available, the early results show that Patna Junction is most polluted in terms of air quality. Phulwarsharif seems to be safer area. For example, the air quality index for Patna junction on May 29 reached to 628 (24 hour average). The air quality monitoring device, Kumar said, will bring transparency on data management as anyone can check the level of air pollution in real time by going online. "We do hope to see more data being released to the public by Bihar State Pollution Control Board," Kumar said.
CEED is working in Bihar towards "clean air action plan" and intend to expand the campaign in rest parts of Bihar. Also keeping in mind the recent NGT order, it is the responsibility of the state to share the level of pollution with public, and take corrective measures to improve the air quality in Patna and the rest of Bihar. "We urge the Bihar government to take this issue seriously before it get out of hand. The NGT order needs to be implemented in totality," he said.