NSSDC rolls out project to map city’s environment
   Date :17-May-2019

 Sensors like the one installed at Shankar Nagar Square besides CCTVs for capturing data relating to environment aspects in city.
 
By Sagar Mohod:
 
As debate rages about balancing development expectation and protecting the atmosphere, Nagpur Smart and Sustainable Development Corporation (NSSDC) rolled out a project to map city’s environment to a get a clear picture from ground zero. The process involves preparing database on 14 aspects related to environment for a correct assessment of problems, if any, so that they could be referred to during policy making. The exercise is under way at 10 major junctions of city for which environment monitoring sensors are installed to gather the data.
 
These sensors are in turn linked to City Operations Centre (CoC) located at Nagpur Municipal Corporation campus in Civil Lines, where a database preparation is on. In nut shell data about presence of dust particles to percentage of suspended particles in air, noise pollution to various aspects of temperatures are under scanner. The environment sensors were activated about two months back and since then data is being built-up systematically. Confirming the development, Devendra Mahajan, General Manager, Environment Division, stated that they need holistic data to assist State Government if they want to formulate any policy in future regarding environment.
 
The 14 major parameters on which environment monitoring is on would provide us with comprehensive data. These spots are most busy stretches and junctions of city. These sensors gather data that is updated every 15 seconds at CoC and yearly analysis is planned on basis of recorded data. Adding further, Mahajan said they are preparing a database on basis of information collected from these spots and same would be analysed on various pre determined formula and the conclusions so drawn would be provided to State Government.
 
The junctions short listed for the survey are Automotive Square, Yashodhara Nagar T-point, Mankapur Square, Poonam Chambers, Shankar Nagar, Lal Imali (Gandhibagh), Pride Hotel etc., Old Katol Naka Square. The 14 parameters that are being monitored through environment sensors include dust pollution, noise pollution, levels of sulphur, carbondioxide, carbon monoxide, temperature, ultra violet rays, humidity, rainfall, ambient air quality, and other related aspects. NSSCDC took up the project as no historical data about all aspects of environment of city was available with any of the agency. While Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) takes samples from only two spots in city and that too is limited to rainfall and temperatures.
 
Another agency, Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) too maps city environment but this is done at only three to four places and their survey to is not comprehensive and lacks depth. So to fill the gap and explore all angles related to environment, NSSCDC decided to take up the task as it will provide first hand data about actual conditions in city. The environment mapping project has ensured that entire city is surveyed to have a scientific data on hands for any decision on improving them in case it is needed. A long range data that can be referred to and aid in computation and calculation and comparison was required and hence the environment sensors gather every information at the identified spots.