Air quality in Damoh

What is the state of air pollution in Damoh now?

Damoh is a city in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It is the fifth-largest urban agglomeration in the state. The population is estimated to be approximately 126,000 people.

It is a well-known city for the production of handcrafted brassware.

As recently as February 2021, a large reserve of natural gas has been discovered which is currently being fully explored.

Towards the middle of 2021, Damoh was experiencing a period of “Moderate” quality air with a US AQI number of 53. This classification system is internationally recognised and, as such, it is used to compare different cities in different countries but by using the same metrics, and is endorsed by the World Health Organisation (WHO). There are usually six main pollutants that are taken into consideration when assessing air quality. Sometimes numbers for all six are not available so the figure has to be calculated by using what data is available. In the case of Damoh, only two figures were available which were: PM2.5 - 13.2 µg/m³ and PM10 - 17 µg/m³.

These figures are quoted in micrograms/microns per cubic metre. With levels of this scale, the advice that is given would be to remain indoors as much as possible and close doors and windows to prevent the ingress of more polluted air. Those of a sensitive disposition should avoid venturing outside until the quality improves. The table at the top of this page could help with this decision.

When is the best time of year to enjoy clean air in Damoh?

Air pollution is very volatile and can and does change very quickly due to the range of variables that affect it. The figures are now available for 2020 which have been published by the Swiss air monitoring company IQAir.com. It can readily be seen that the best quality for air is throughout the spring and summer months of March until the end of September. During this time, the air quality was classified as being “Moderate” with readings between 12.1 and 35.4 µg/m³. The months of January and February returned readings of between 35.5 and 55.4 µg/m³ which placed it in the “Unhealthy for sensitive groups” category. This was the same category for October and November with 46.1 and 50.7 µg/m³, respectively. The remaining month of December saw the classification slip into the “Unhealthy” bracket with a figure of 66.5 µg/m³. Figures were first recorded in 2019 when the level was 39.3 µg/m³ and went on to show an improvement for 2020 with an annual average of 36.3 µg/m³. This low figure might not be a true representation of the real air quality because of the restrictions imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many private vehicles were discouraged from being used as offices were closed and staff were permitted to work from home. Many factories and other such businesses were closed temporarily.

What are the sources of all this polluted air in Damoh?

The air in the state is becoming increasingly poisonous. As a result of this, the average age of people living here has reduced by about three and a half years. If air pollution is reduced by 25 per cent, then life expectancy will increase by one and a half years.

The local residents have to worry every day about the dust and pollution emanating from the roads, but recently Damoh's climate was found to be the best in the country. This was partly due to the heavy rain experienced lately which wash the pollutants away.

Another major source of pollution comes from the local cement factory. The surrounding land is becoming barren, and the health of the people is deteriorating. Here, pollution emanates from the factory due to the explosive material used to break the stone and the smoke emitted from the chimney.

Can anything be done to lower pollution levels in Damoh?

The government is taking drastic measures to curb the pollution caused by vehicular pollution in the city, but no one is aware of curbing the diseases and air pollution caused by the dust blowing around the cement factory. How much pollution is occurring every day from the factory and what are the arrangements made to prevent it. There is no record of it. During the last inspection, the MP Pollution Control Board had ordered the factory management to install display boards, but these have not yet appeared. Regarding the matter, a letter has been written to the government to investigate the pollution of the cement factory from the MP government. One major problem is the dust that originates in the factory that settles on the surrounding crops that farmers harvest.

They have also been told to plant trees and saplings around the perimeter so as to block some of the dust from escaping.

How does this poor air quality in Damoh affect human health?

Nearly a quarter of the world's population lives in only four South Asian countries which are among the most polluted countries - Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan. The Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) found that the life span of the people living in these countries will decrease by an average of five years, as they are living in a situation in which the pollution level is now 44 per cent higher than it was 20 years ago.

AQLI said particulate pollution is also a "serious concern" throughout Southeast Asia, as forests and farm fires in these areas combine with emissions emanating from traffic and power plants, making the air poisonous. About 89 per cent of the millions of people who live in this area live in places where air pollution is higher than the health organisation's stated guidelines.

Statistics show that even after the latest decision of the Supreme Court, 75 per cent of the coal power plants in the country will not be able to install sulphur controlling technology by 2022. Sulphur dioxide is a harmful gas released from coal power plants that causes many diseases of the lungs. Today, more than 20 cities are among the thirty most polluted cities in the world. Because of this it is even more important to install pollution control technology for coal power plants. About 60 per cent of electricity in India is made from coal, so strict rules are necessary for these power plants.

To stop the emission of sulphur gases, the technology to be installed in these power stations is called Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD). This technology has been installed in most of China's power stations, which has helped a lot in controlling air pollution there.