Shimla: The HP State Pollution Control Board (HPSPCB) has restored Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Station at Takka Bench, the Ridge Shimla. The station has been restored after a gap of three years.
Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Station was established in 1984, but due to renovation works carried out by Municipal Corporation, Shimla the observatory was made non-functional since 1 March 2017.
State Pollution Board claimed that it was made functional on the personal intervention of Secretary Environment Science and Technology-cum Chairman, HP State Pollution Control Board, Rajneesh.
State Pollution Board spokesperson said that the Chairman, HPSPCB personally visited the site to ascertain the smooth functioning of this observatory and directed the officers of the State Board to ensure assessment of representative ambient air quality of the capital city keeping in view its historical importance and observatory being a part of a nationwide network.
He said that the assessment of ambient air quality through this station would also help the state in tourism promotion and capital city of Shimla to improve its ranking under smart city programme. Through this station, the State Board would monitor ambient air quality.
At present, the State Pollution Board is monitoring the ambient air quality at 25 stations across the State and two real-time online Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Station are being established at Shimla and Baddi.
