Newz Desk, Durgapur : Concerns over air pollution have returned to haunt Durgapur residents. Although the city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) is not yet at an extremely alarming level, the discovery of high concentrations of carbon monoxide (CO) in the air has deeply worried environmentalists and scientists.
The Central Ministry of Environment’s official portal regularly updates AQI readings and identifies the key pollutants in major cities. In the bulletin published on Wednesday evening, Durgapur’s primary pollutants were listed as fine particulate matter PM10, PM2.5, and carbon monoxide (CO) — the last of which is known to be far more harmful to human health than dust particles.
While many Indian cities currently have a higher AQI level than Durgapur, the presence of carbon monoxide as a major pollutant has been detected in only a handful of them — and the steel city is one of those few.
Durgapur has three monitoring stations under the State Pollution Control Board, along with a major regional office. Yet, questions are being raised about how this highly toxic gas has managed to spread through the city’s air undetected.
Environmental scientist explained, “It must be remembered that carbon monoxide can enter the human bloodstream directly through the alveoli in the lungs. It has the potential to cause severe health complications. In cities where CO levels are high, it is not safe to stay outdoors for long periods. Its harmful effects are much greater than those of dust particles.”
An Environmental Engineer of the West Bengal Pollution Control Board in Durgapur, said, “It would not be appropriate to comment based on a single day’s data. We are monitoring the situation closely.”
Residents of West Bardhaman district are no strangers to the dangers of carbon monoxide. This gas has previously caused multiple fatalities among industrial workers due to leaks inside factories. It is also notorious as a deadly gas in mining areas. Now, this same lethal gas is being detected in alarming quantities in Durgapur’s atmosphere.
As a result, whether people are stepping out for Kali Puja or Bhai Phonta shopping, they are being exposed to unsafe levels of carbon monoxide in the open air. If the situation is not brought under control quickly, experts warn that it could escalate into a serious public health crisis.
According to the data released by the Environment Ministry , Durgapur’s AQI stood at 105, categorized as ‘moderate’. The pollutants identified were PM10, PM2.5, and CO.
In comparison, Asansol’s AQI was higher than Durgapur’s, indicating more air pollution overall — but only PM2.5 was listed as the major pollutant there, with no presence of CO. Even Delhi, which has been suffering from severe air pollution since Diwali, recording an AQI above 350, showed no significant carbon monoxide presence.
To explain the difference: PM10 (particulate matter of 10 micrometers diameter) can penetrate only the outer parts of the lungs; PM2.5 (2.5 micrometers) can reach deeper into the lungs but cannot mix with the blood. However, carbon monoxide passes directly through the lungs into the bloodstream.
Durgapur residents are now anxiously waiting to see what measures the Pollution Control Board and local administration take to curb the rising levels of this toxic, life-threatening gas.
