Ambient air quality monitoring is the long-term assessment of pollutant levels by measuring the quantity of certain pollutants in the surrounding and outdoor air. It is an integral part of an effective air quality management system. The ambient air quality monitoring is being carried out regularly by Manual Monitoring Stations and Continuous Monitoring Stations by PPCB under National Air Monitoring Programme (NAMP). Data collected from monitoring stations helps to:

  • assess the extent of pollution level
  • provide air pollution data to the public in a timely manner
  • support implementation of air quality standards
  • evaluate the effectiveness of action plans for pollution control
  • provide information on air quality trends
  • support research on long-term studies of the health effects of air pollution

Air Quality Index

The AQI is a tool for the effective communication of air quality status to people in terms, which are easy to understand. It transforms complex air quality data of various pollutants into a single number (index value), nomenclature and colour. There are six AQI categories, namely, good, satisfactory, moderately polluted, poor, very poor, and severe. Each of these categories is decided based on the ambient concentration values of air pollutants and their likely health impacts.  Typically, the index is calculated using the ambient concentrations of eight pollutants - particulates less than 10 µm in diameter (PM10), particulates less than 2.5 µm in diameter (PM2.5), sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), Ammonia (NH3), Lead (Pb) and ozone for which short-term (upto 24-hours) National Ambient Air Quality Standards are prescribed. Based on the measured ambient concentrations of a pollutant, a sub-index is calculated using standard formulae developed by EPA. The concept of an Air Quality Index (AQI) that transforms weighted values of individual air pollution related parameters into a single member is widely used for air quality communication and decision making. The AQI categories and health breakpoints are given in Table.

AQI

Category

Associated Health Impact

 

0 to 50

Good

 

Minimal impact

51 to 100

Satisfactory

 

May cause minor breathing discomfort to sensitive people

101 to 200

Moderate

 

May cause breathing discomfort to the  people with lung disease such as asthma and discomfort to people with heart disease, children and older adults

201 to 300

Poor

 

May cause breathing discomfort to people on prolonged exposure and discomfort to people with heart disease

301 to 400

Very Poor

 

May cause respiratory illness to the people on prolonged exposure. Effect may be more pronounced in people with lung and heart diseases

>400

Severe

 

May cause respiratory effects even on healthy people and serious health impact on people with lung/heart diseases. The health impact may be experienced even during light physical activity.


Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has launched National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) in January 2019 with an aim to improve air quality in 131 non-attainment cities (NACs) in 24 states/union territories by engaging all stakeholders. Nine cities of Punjab namely Dera Bassi, Mandi Gobindgarh, Jalandhar, Khanna, Ludhiana, Naya Nangal, Patiala, Amritsar, and Pathankot/Dera Baba Nanak) were identified as NACs under NCAP on the basis of ambient air quality data for the period 2011-15 for not meeting the annual average of 60 µg/m3 for PM10. Directions were issued to the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to prepare action plans for the above-stated NACs in compliance with the National Green Tribunal (NGT) directions in the matter Original Application No. 681 of 2018 dated 8/10/2018 regarding the preparation of action plans for clean air for above NACs. Punjab prepared action plans for clean air for the above 9 NACs and submitted them to CPCB in April 2019 for further submission to NGT.  

The Action Plans for Clean Air for 9 NACs are being implemented by Stakeholder Departments and monitored by three-tier monitoring mechanisms by the air quality monitoring committees (AQMCs) to review the progress:


Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) is a nodal agency for implementing a statewide programme for the Prevention, Control and Abatement of Air Pollution under the Air (Prevention & Control for Pollution) Act, 1981. Further, PPCB under National Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Programme (NAMP) has installed 48 Manual Ambient Air Quality Monitoring stations in 35 cities across Punjab. The average PM10 concentration during 2022 was recorded as 175 µg/m3 and the Air Quality Index (AQI) remained under Moderate or Poor category in the NACs of the state. 

The CPCB has also developed Comprehensive Environmental Pollution Index (CEPI) to identify polluted industrial clusters in the country. According to CEPI, a total of 88 industrial clusters have been identified as polluted in the country, out of which 35 were identified as critically polluted industrial clusters which includes city of Ludhiana, Jalandhar, and Batala of Punjab. In 2018, Ludhiana scored a CEPI score over 70 (out of 100), while Jalandhar and Batala received a CEPI score of 80 and 70, respectively (Mission Tandrust Punjab, Annual Action Plan 2022-23). The Action Plan for the abatement of pollution in Critical Polluted Areas (CPA) of Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Batala is available at https://cpcb.nic.in/new-cepi-action-plan/

National Air Quality Index       

CPCB

Sameer App