Pollution Research Paper

Vol 40, Issue 3, 2021; Page No.(961-968 )

ASSESSMENT OF AMBIENT AIR QUALITY AND ITS SOURCES AROUND HYDROPOWER PROJECTS USING HYSPLIT MODEL AND AIR QUALITY INDEX IN ALAKNANDA BASIN, GARHWAL HIMALAYA, INDIA BHIM CHAND, JAGDISH CHANDRA KUNIYAL, PAWAN KUMAR THAKUR, MANISH

BHIM CHAND, JAGDISH CHANDRA KUNIYAL, PAWAN KUMAR THAKUR, MANISH KUMAR VANEET JISHTU, DINESH KUMAR TRIPATHI AND AMAR DEEP

Abstract

Particulate pollutants below 10 micron (PM10) and gaseous pollutants such as Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) and Ammonia (NH3) were monitored. In and around the commissioned hydroelectric project Srinagar Garhwal, PM10 concentration was found as low as 88.1±2.0 μg m-3 ranging from 63.6 to 104.2 μg m-3. On the other hand, Tapovan-Vishnugad Hydroelectric Project (HEP) under construction has relatively higher PM10 pollution with a mean value of 104.2±1.1 μg m-3. It was observed that in and around the Tapovan-Vishnugad HEP the particulate pollutants have crossed the permissible limit (100 μg m-3) Prescribed by National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), India. However, gaseous pollutants except particulate pollutants at each site were well within the permissible limit. The analyzed results were further supported by Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model, Cloud- Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) and Concentration weight Trajectory (CWT) analysis which indicated that both Tapovan-Vishnugad and Srinagar sites of the hydropower projects activities are the major source of particulate pollutants in the region.