Construction Industry News
Ozone levels in central Kolkata were 60 percent above safe levels, raising public health concerns and the threat it poses to the iconic Victoria Memorial.
According to the West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB), the eight-hour average on Sunday was 160 mg/cubic meter in the Victoria Memorial area.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the eight-hour average of ozone should not exceed 100 mg/cubic meter.
The high ozone level was the result of typical winter conditions and accumulated vehicle emissions particles in the lower atmosphere, a WBPCB official said.
Environmentalist Somendranath Ghosh said close monitoring is needed to find the reasons behind the spike in ozone levels in the city's eco-sensitive zone, often referred to as the 'lungs of Kolkata' due to its acres of grassland.
Alarmingly, the ozone count even surpassed the PM2.5 level of 144 Sunday afternoon, he said.
"There are so many old diesel vehicles on the road. This pollution can turn the white marbles of Victoria Memorial yellow and in the future the plaster in many room walls will come loose," he warned.
Ground-level ozone is a colorless and highly irritating gas that forms just above Earth's surface, Ghosh said.
It's a secondary pollutant because it's produced when two primary pollutants — nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) — react in sunlight and still air, he said.
Ozone can cause the muscles in the airways to contract, trapping air in the alveoli, leading to wheezing and shortness of breath.
"Depending on the level of exposure, ozone can cause coughing and a sore or scratchy throat," the WBPCB official said.
