Air quality in Hubballi

What is the air quality index of Hubli?

Hubli, officially also known as Hubballi, is a city in the Indian state of Karnataka. The twin cities Hubli–Dharwad form the second-largest city in the state by population and the largest city in North Karnataka in terms of area.

The last census was conducted in 2011 and published the estimated population as being 943,857, no doubt this figure will be a lot larger now.

In early 2021, Hubli was experiencing a period of “Moderate” quality air with a US AQI reading of 70. This is according to recommended figures by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The recorded level of the pollutant PM2.5 was 21.1 µg/m³. With a level such as this, the advice would be to close doors and windows to prevent the ingress of polluted air into the rooms and those of a sensitive disposition should avoid venturing outside until the air quality improves. If this is unavoidable, then a good quality face-mask should be worn at all times.

What is the main source of air pollution in Hubli?

The sources of air pollutants include vehicles, industries, domestic and natural sources. As with most large cities anywhere in the world, the main source of air pollution in the city comes from emissions from vehicles. After that, it is the emissions from power stations and factories that contribute large amounts, too.

The burning of biomass in the surrounding area plays a significant role if the air pollution of the local environment. It is traditional to burn the residual stubble from crops as a way of preparing the ground for the next crop.

Another major cause of air pollution is the burning of “Dung cakes”. These are dried animal dung that has been mixed with leaves and twigs to produce domestic fuel. They are very convenient and also very cheap.

They are traditionally used as fuel in India for cooking food in a domestic hearth called a Chulha. These stoves are very often found in poorly ventilated rooms and attended to by the women of the household. Very often their young children will join them whilst they prepare and cook the meals.

The benefits of using dried animal dung are as follows: they are much cheaper than most modern fuels. They are remarkably efficient. There is no cash outlay needed to obtain this fuel and surplus can even be used as currency.

Why is air pollution so poor in Hubli?

Due to the shutdown of vehicles, factories and all means related to carbon emissions during the nationwide lockdown to prevent infection of the coronavirus, air pollution in Hubli is considerably less than it was before. Major factors of air pollution in these cities (PM10, PM2. 5 and NO_x) emissions have been reduced by 15 to 50 per cent. Whereas, due to the lack of dust blowing in from construction and other development works, the emission of PM10 was reduced by 40 to 48 per cent and the emission of PM2.5 by 17 to 21 per cent. At this time of year, the winds tend to be stronger which helps the situation by blowing the pollutants away from the city.

What can be done to improve the air quality in Hubli?

On the 3^rd February 2020, the Hubli-Dharwad Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project in Karnataka was inaugurated. Every year the rapid increase in the number of vehicles on the roads leads to deteriorating air quality which can adversely affect people's health.

A proposed BRTS project is designed to serve two cities of Hubli and Dharwad located in the north-western part of Karnataka state in India. Hubli is known as the commercial centre and commercial centre of the region and is an administrative seat of the district and educational centre of the Dharwad region.

BRTSCO is a BRT corridor with a length of 22.25 kilometres, originating from Hubli CBT, and ending at Dharwad CBT. It is planned to expand the corridor of Agricultural University, Dharwad. The construction will be funded by the World Bank and the Government of Karnataka. The estimated cost of the project is estimated at US$ 115 million. The project is funded under the Sustainable Urban Transport Project (SUTP).

The Old Students Association has donated a clean air tower to the Jain College of Engineering and Technology. This will help to control air pollution. It will also benefit health. Earlier these alumni painted school buildings and have now donated this clean air tower.

The air purifier tower was constructed from waste materials. It is the second-largest unit in the country except for Delhi. It is the first air purifier unit in the state, which has been built at a cost of 85 thousand. It has the ability to clean the air from a distance of about 50 to 100 meters.

What are the effects of breathing Hubli’s poor quality air?

When we breathe, oxygen in the air reaches the lungs and comes in close contact with the blood which absorbs it and carries it to all parts of the body. At the same time, the blood is brought from the body by releasing carbon dioxide into the lungs which are expelled out of the lungs with exhalation.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) statistics, 23.5 million people in the world suffer from asthma. It is a major non-communicable diseases and this disease is usually seen in children. More than 80 per cent of deaths due to asthma occur in low and low-middle income countries.

The smoke emanating from the vehicles is equally harmful to health, but it especially causes problems for asthmatic patients. According to a new report, every year 4,000 children or 11,000 cases per day are suffering from asthma due to pollution caused by the smoke from vehicles.

The basic causes of asthma are not fully understood, but apart from the hereditary causes, it can also be due to exposure to such substances and particles that go in the breath and allergies can arise. These include dust mites, pollen, smoke and air pollution present in the house.

Nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) gases are released during petrol and diesel driven vehicles and energy production. These contain harmful elements for health, which increases the risk of heart disease and respiratory system diseases. The level of such pollutants in the air of developing countries is still increasing continuously.

Fumes from factories, coal-fired power plants and the burning of straw by farmers also affect air quality.