Health Impacts of Air Pollution in Ahmedabad - Rainwater Harvesting

Health Impacts ofAir Pollution in AhmedabadPresentation byK. V. BhanujanChairman, GPCBGandhinagar, GujaratCSE Conference on Health and EnvironmentMarch 24-25, 2006India Habitat Centre, New Delhi

City Profile : AhmedabadAhmedabad• Area : 190.84 sq.km. (AMC)350 sq.km.(incl. Outgrowth)NarodaOdhav• Population : 45.19 lakhs(city & outgrowth fig., census 2001)• Growth Rate– Per decade : 28.86 %– Last decade : 22.20 %• City Roads:– Length : 1286.4 Km– Area : 8 to 10 % of city areaNarolVatvaWorld Environment Day• Number of Vehicles : 16.82 Lakhs ason 31st August 2005 in the District(RTO data)• Industrial Units covered under theAir Act : 1800 nos.2

Sources Contributing toAir Pollution in AhmedabadVehicular:• Rapid increase invehicles• Adulterated Fuel• Poor Maintenance• Road Borne DustMiscellaneous :• Open burning of leaves,waste etc• Road Side Dust• Construction Activities• Soil Condition• Effect of desertification• Meteorological Conditions• Festivals & fireworks• Domestic ChulasIndustrial :• Textile Process House• Foundries, Crushing andGrinding Units• Thermal Power Plant• Coal Yards and AshYards/ Ponds• Dyes, Dyes Intermediatesand Chemical Industries• Dairy, Flour Mills,Bakeries, Gram andGround Nut RoastingUnits• Precious Metal RefiningUnits• Brick Kilns andIncinerators3

AIR POLLUTANTS AND THEIR EFFECTS ON HUMAN HEALTHParticulate matter :Sulphur dioxide :Respiratory diseases.Irritates respiratory system, causesbronchitis.Nitrogen dioxide : Burning of eyes, nose etc., Severe irritationof respiratory system.Carbon monoxide: Deprive body cells of oxygen, causesunconsciousness.Hydro carbons:Affects central nervous system.Chlorine: Severe lung irritation, irritates the eyes.Hydrogen Sulphide: Respiratory paralysis, causes immediateunconsciousness.Asbestos:Lead:Lung cancerBrain damage, Muscular paralysis,convulsions.

Health Impacts of Air Pollution in Ahmedabad• The Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology had undertakena project called “Comparative Health Risk Assessment of Ahmedabad”under the sponsorship of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation inSeptember, 1996.• Study reveals that air pollution has contributed to increased levels ofAsthma, Bronchitis, Cough an Cold in the city particularly during thewinter months.• The occurrence of these diseases was noticed more in Central Zoneparticularly Asthma and Bronchitis and it is assumed that high airpollution level is the cause for this. In the West zone of the city, highlevel of cough and cold was noticed in winter months.• This report, however, does not give focused information on the healthconsequences of air pollution. As a matter of fact, the report disclosesthat of all the reported cases of diseases, 29% happen to be Malaria. Infact, 77.7% who participated in the survey felt that Malaria is going toremain the gravest problem in the city.

Health Impacts of Air Pollution in Ahmedabad• A medical study was conducted by National Institute of OccupationalHealth (NIOH) in 2003 in three different areas of Ahmedabad, viz.Residential area (L.D.Engg. College), Commercial area (Nehru Bridge),Industrial area (Naroda). Distribution of % morbidity is as follows:(Total families covered: 679 – Residential:200, Commercial:242, Industrial:237)MorbidityChronic CoughBreathlessness whilewalkingWheezingHemoptysisAsthmaT.B.NauseaEye IrritationCataractIndustrial areaNo.35533662365623432%3.75.53.70.62.40.65.824.33.5CommercialareaNo.16509485113264%1.64.60.80.40.70.51.03.55.9ResidentialareaNo.1527194142114917%2.03.32.30.51.80.21.46.72.1

Observations of NIOH• The study showed that symptoms like cough, breathlessness whilewalking, haemoptysis have been more in industrial area. Asthma,Tuberculosis and chronic bronchitis was also higher in industrial area.Wheezing has been significantly higher in industrial area.• The medical data from the different hospitals from Ahmedabad were alsocollected; however correct database regarding disease pattern w.r.to airpollution was not available. Amongst air borne disease pattern, max. casesof T.B. were reported in 1997 to 2003. While cases of Pneumonia,Diphtheria and Measles were comparatively less reported. High RSPMlevels probably enhance chest disease pattern.

AIR POLLUTION CONTROL : ACTION PLANHighlights of implementation• Action Plan under implementation for 18 months• 26 CNG stations made operational• 500 CNG buses on road in Ahmedabad• 18,000 CNG auto rickshaws on road movement of pre-1991 rickshawsbanned• 112 newly registered PUC centers• Bharat Stage –III norms for new vehicles• Bharat Stage –III specification fuel supplied in the city• Industries with major boilers : 150 wet scrubbers installed, ESPs underinstallation in two units• 190 industrial units switched over to NG as fuel• Ban / Restriction on movement of 6-seater diesel rickshaws, heavyvehicles• Projects of Ring Road, flyovers, bridges, carpeting of roads.

400350300250200150100500302520151050261203 239306What the latest trend indicates ?364322231183 164 147 155121 130 155 1369573 68 61 63Dec-04Jan-05Feb-05Mar-05Apr-05May-05Jun-05Jul-05Aug-05Sep-05Oct-05256191 228 217 215104 84 100 99 96Nov-05Dec-05Jan-06Feb-06RSPMSPM21 19 1921 21 23 22 23 23 24 26 22 23 24.6 2313 12 11 12 12 12 11 11 11 11 12 11.5 12.6 12 11AAQM ATL. D. EngineeringCollege(NAMP project)PARAMETER(LIMIT)SPM(200)RSPM(100)SO2(80)NOX(80)POSITIONON FEB-06(UG/M 3 )2159611237.5 %HIGHWITHINLIMITWITHINLIMITWITHINLIMITDec-04Feb-05Apr-05Jun-05Aug-05Oct-05SO2 NOx RESIDENTIALDec-05Feb-06

Fall in Air Pollution LevelsMONTHAVERAGERSPM OF 11 STATIONSAVERAGESPM OF 11 STATIONSDecember/04January/05February/05March/05April/05May/05June/05July/05August/05September/05October/05November/05December/05January/06February/06AVERAGE OF ALL MONTHS18516014813416614412110793101131147146144152135374389390389427366302255220242331356363361364340

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