Assessment of the Status of SPM in Jammu City and its Control Strategies

Suspended particulate matter is considered to be a major air pollutant which is deteriorating plant and animal life. The Particulate matter, particularly less than 10 micron in size can pass through the natural protective mechanism of human respiratory system and play very important role in genesis augmentation of health problems . Ambient air quality was monitored along with the seasonal variations and results are discussed. For the mitigation of air pollution problem in the city, the different control strategies have been discussed. The amount of pollutants released in the atmosphere by fixed/stationary or mobile anthropogenic source is associated with economic activities, and occur when the scale of waste disposal exceeds the assimilative capacity of environment. The progressive increase in urbanization in recent years, although has positive role in developmental process, but at the same time it imposes unending challenges such as inadequate water supply, improper sanitation and waste disposal, traffic congestion and environmental pollution. Deterioration of air quality is a major environmental problem in many urban centres in both developed and developing countries. Root cause of urban air pollution is the continuous rise in number and types of vehicle population. Rise in number and types of vehicles along with lack of smooth traffic flow due to congested and narrow roads results in frequent traffic jams. This further aggravates the problem of air pollution. Among all the types of vehicles, predominant mobile air pollution source in all the industrialized countries of the world is the automobile powered by a four-stroke cycle engine and using gasoline as a fuel. Other causes are exponential growth of population, rapid proliferation of industries and technological development/advances. Emission of pollutants from the vehicles also depends upon the type of fuel used. Diesel engines have substantial emissions of which particulate matter and SO2 is vital. Petrol run vehicles emit CO, hydrocarbons, lead and oxides of nitrogen in the atmosphere. The particulate matter, important from air pollution point of view, may range from 0.01 to 100 in diameter. In urban areas, particulates emanate from a variety of sources such as cars, trucks, buses, factories, construction sites, tilled fields, unpaved roads, stone crushers and burning of wood and fossil fuels (Street et al, 1996). The respirable particulate matter (RSPM or PM10 < 10m) are trapped in conducting airway and fine particulate matter (PM2.5 or 2.5m) are trapped in respiratory airways of human lungs. Some of the particles mainly above 2.5m can be removed from the air by rain fall, particles also disappear from the air by impinging on objects such as trees, animals and buildings. Extremely small particles do not readily impinge on objects due to their aerodynamic properties. The respirable particulate matter and fine particulate matter are of more concern from public health point of view (Rajesekhar et al, 2001). These particles of smaller size, particularly of 1 m cause health hazards as these are most liable to enter the respiratory tract and get lodged in the air spaces of lungs. Thus, it is necessary to evaluate the status of suspended particulate matters in the existing air quality of any area for the better management practices. An attempt have been made in the present study to evaluate the status of suspended particulate matter (SPM) in the city of Jammu and some strategies for controlling air pollution have also been discussed. II. Description Of The Study Area Jammu, latitude 32 0 44'N, longitude 74 0 55'E and at about 400m altitude (msl), the winter capital of Jammu and Kashmir state, covers an area of approximately 3,250 sq km. It is separated from Bahu-Mahamaya feature by Tawi river which is a tributary of river Chenab. Jammu city is located on the Shivalik hill-lock of the Himalayas on the National Highway No. IA, the only road which connects Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, to the rest of the country.