KOLKATA: Environment minister Sudarshan Ghosh Dastidar flagged off two manual mobile air quality monitoring stations on Tuesday. These will measure air pollution during Durga Puja.

The West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB) will set up environment awareness stalls in several parts of the city and 105 puja committees are vying for the Green Puja Awards.

The monitoring stations will measure three basic parameters – respirable particulate matters, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide – at different locations across the city. These three are regularly measured at 18 stations across the state, including new stations in Jalpaiguri, Siliguri, Malda, Kalyani and Uluberia.

The Green Puja Awards were introduced last year to motivate organisers to make the celebration environment-friendly. Last year, only 29 organisers contested; 105 have joined the contest this year. The WBPCB will operate 12 environmental awareness stalls in 11 pandals. Banners bearing environmental messages will be displayed in puja pandals, municipalities and police stations.

via State to monitor air pollution during Puja – The Times of India.