Kochi: The public in Kochi finds itself unable to access crucial real-time air pollution data, raising significant concerns. The National Air Quality Index monitoring station at Eloor Udyogamandal has been without live pollution data since May 17.

Similarly, the data from the Vytilla monitoring station has been unavailable since March 14. This development is particularly worrisome in light of recent reports of mass fish kill in the Periyar River.

All these live air pollution monitoring stations are under the control of state Pollution Control Board (PCB).

In Kochi city and surrounding areas, the smell of chemical gas is often felt strongly at night. The allegation is strong that this is due to the chemical gas emitted at night from the Eloor industrial area. Apart from Eloor, Varapuzha, Edappally, Lulu Mall area, Kunnumpuram, Vattekkunnam, Ponekkara, and Elamakkara regularly experiencing this smell.

Locals say that in the last few days, the smell of chemical gas can be felt in Thathappilly area near North Paravur as well. Small children also experience suffocation. It was during this time that the 'data' to find out the level of air pollution disappeared.

placeholder
pollution data kochi
The National Air Quality Index shows that data from the real-time air pollution monitoring station at Eloor Udyogamandal is not available

Eloor still has only one real-time air pollution observatory even when it is a highly polluted area. Only data collection is done at Udyogamandal station. An observatory can only detect air quality in a small radius.

Due to the large number of industries in this region, a single monitoring station cannot detect the true level of chemical gas in the air. The Center had earlier decided to strengthen monitoring in all corporations as part of the National Air Quality Monitoring Program. But Kochi has not got a single new station.