Staff Correspondent:

Government has launched publishing real time air quality index data on website of Department of environment from 16 Continuous Air Quality Monitoring System (CAMS) real time automation system along with Dhaka and other departmental and industrial cities of the country.

Cabinet Secretary Md. Mahbub Hossain inaugurated the program at the beginning of the 2nd meeting of the National Committee on Air Pollution Control in the meeting room of the Cabinet Division today. At this time, the secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Dr. Farhina Ahmed, Additional Secretary (Environment) Sanjay Kumar Bhowmik, Additional Secretary (Environmental Pollution Control) Md. Mizanur Rahman NDC, Director General of Environment Directorate Dr.  Abdul Hamid and the secretaries of various ministries and department heads were present.

Air quality monitoring data obtained through 16 CAMS across Bangladesh managed by Environment Department will be automatically analyzed online, processed and calculated as AQI and published on Environment Department website.  As a result of the implementation of this automation system, everyone will know the health effects of the air pollution level through real time air quality and it will be possible to take timely measures regarding air pollution control and health protection along with proper preparation if the air quality condition worsens.

All these CAMS will continuously monitor PM 10, PM 2.5, ozone, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide = 6 (six) air pollutants in the air and calculate the data as Air Quality Index.  AQI values are classified into the following categories considering the health effects of air pollution on humans.  An AQI value of 0-50 is good air quality, 51-100 is moderate, 101-150 is harmful for sensitive people, 151-200 is unhealthy, 201-300 is very unhealthy and above 300 is hazardous.
The air quality monitoring data collected from total 16 CAMS installed in Department of Environment Dhaka, Agargaon, Bark of Farmgate, Dar es Salaam;  Savar, Gazipur;  Narayanganj;  Mymensingh, Agrabad of Chittagong, Sylhet;  Comilla, Rangpur, Television Centre, Chittagong;  Rajshahi, Barisal;  Khulna and Narsingdi has been real-time automated as Air Quality Index-AQI.

Apart from inaugurating the real-time air quality index, some important decisions on air pollution control were taken in the meeting.  Rajuk, Public Works Department, Road Department, Local Government Engineering Department and other government departments involved in development work have been requested to take necessary steps to control air pollution in the implementation of construction projects.  Necessary measures have been requested to prevent air pollution in incineration of medical waste.

DCT/OL/SMKN/END