Ground-level Ozone increasing in city Vehicular emission main reason: Study

 

 

The air quality of Nagpur city is slowly moving towards dangerous levels as the air pollution in city is has been increasing in recent years. According to a study conducted by Prof Suresh Chopane, President of Green Planet Society, the ground level Ozone (O3) levels in Nagpur are increasing, particularly during winter and summer seasons. After accumulating the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, Prof Chopane claimed that the real time data sometimes shows healthy levels, whereas long term trends indicate that O3, along with particulate matter (PM 2.5 and PM10), is a dominant pollutant and a public health concern. “An increasing level of ground-level ozone is dangerous for both human health and various materials like rubber, plastic, paints etc. Ground-level ozone is a major component of smog and a powerful oxidant that can cause significant harm like respiratory issues, reduced lung function, inflammation etc,” said Prof Chopane.

 

Comparing the data provided by the four Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS) of Nagpur, Prof Chopane found that Mahal-based CAAQMS recorded the highest 180 polluted days out of 365 days in 2025 whereas GPO station found 174 polluted days, Ram Nagar reported 154 days and Ambazari recorded 137 polluted days last year. “Mahal is the most polluted area in last five years, however the Air Quality Index (AQI) in other three areas is also increasing. The main culprits behind increasing AQI are vehicular emission, construction dust and industrial pollution,” said Prof Chopane. PM10 and PM2.5 are the major pollutants but ground level ozone and Carbon Monoxide (CO) are also increasing in the city due to vehicular emission, said the environment expert. “To curb air pollution, local administration should emphasise on non-conventional energy like solar, wind and electric vehicles,” advised Prof Chopane.