Although the city dwellers are breathing severely polluted air for long with many suffering from different diseases, the government has yet to make any visible intervention to control the pollution.
The gaseous pollutants in city air decreased significantly in the wake of banning two-stroke engines half a decade ago. But now the quantity of floating dust and other smaller particles has reached an alarming level again.
According to data from Air Quality Monitoring Project (AQMP), floating particles in city air both smaller (PM 2.5) and bigger (PM 10) are several times higher than the EPA (Environment Protection Agency) standard.
The United States EPA guidelines say presence of particulate matters (PM) 10 and PM 2.5 should remain within 150 and 65 microgram per cubic metre (mg/m3) of air within 24 hours.
But in December last year floating PM 10 were recorded 487 mg/m3 and PM 2.5 rose to 298. Earlier in 2002, PM 10 stood at 543 and PM 2.5 reached up to 423.
The amount of these particles remains within the EPA standard for two to three months round the year. Apart from that, the city people live in highly polluted air.
John E Core from Portland, one of the cleanest cities in the USA, is now staying in Dhaka as an AQMP consultant.
Asked about Dhaka’s air quality, he said: “The city dwellers should feel ashamed as they have been living in such polluted air.”
“It’s not a matter of poverty but consciousness. If everyone is aware, citizens can bring a lot of change,” he added.
Experts say both particulate matters 10 and 2.5 cause serious health hazards.
The PM 10 is usually present in smoke created through burning of woods and can penetrate deep into the cardiovascular system. The PM 2.5 generally arises from burning of fossil fuel and has a strong association with circulatory diseases.
According to experts from the Department of Environment, faulty vehicles, especially diesel-run vehicles, brick kilns, dust from roads and construction sites and toxic fumes from industries are the main sources of PM 10 and PM 2.5.
Faulty diesel-run vehicles contribute about 60 percent of the particulate matters, while brick kilns account for another 25-30 percent, AQMP Director Dr Mohammad Nasiruddin said.
He suggests that faulty and unfit diesel-run vehicles be phased out and environment friendly technology be introduced.
Around 1,000 brick kilns are active around the city, AQMP project sources say.
“Five hundred of them are very active to pollute air and most of those burn coal that contains huge sulphur,” said Dr Nasiruddin.
Though more and more CNG-run vehicles are hitting the road the air quality has not improved significantly due to the other existing factors, Nasiruddin said.
“Most of the industries and factories don’t use smoke extraction device, which is another reason of air pollution, although the number of industries is comparatively less.”
In winter, the wind blows from north and carries with it smoke from northern region dense with brick kilns, Dr Nasiruddin said. “Higher chimneys do not help at all.”
Dr Nasiruddin also suggests a smoother traffic system to check pollution.
“Average traffic speed in the city is only 12 kilometres per hour. But we need around 50 kilometres to maintain clean air,” he said, adding, the more the vehicles stay in the roads the more they pollute air.
The experts say many of the vehicles in the city do not have fitness but are on the roads with fitness certificates. Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) should go for automation, said an official from AQMP.
Experts say these particulate matters may cause bronchial and kidney diseases and even lung cancer. A significant number of city dwellers suffer from respiratory disease and asthma in winter every year.
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