Air pollution cimatology of Bihar

Abstract

Air Pollution has become an increasingly important aspect of environment due newlineto rapid industrialisation and urbanisation. The state of Bihar is no exception to this. newlineThe topography and climatological features of Bihar are such as to stagnate pollutants newlinein some seasons but disperse in other seasons. Inversions are not uncommon in many newlineplaces leading to heavy accumulation of pollution. In the regions where the newlinetopographic and meteorological conditions are conducive to the accumulation of newlinepollutants, these may adversely affect public health as well as vegetation. newlineThe present study aims to identify and assess the role of climatic factors in the newlinedispersaVstagnation of air pollutants released into the atmosphere at some important newlineplaces of Bihar. newlineChapter 1 1s introduces sources, types and effects of a1r pollutants, newlineatmospheric chemistry involved in transformation of primary pollutants to secondary newlinepollutants, air pollution climatology. newlineSeveral industries (Iron and Steel, mining, fertilizer, oil refinery, cement, coal newlinewasheries, lead smelter, sugarcane, alcohol, fire bricks, foundry, industrial gases, newlineleather etc.) have been/are being set up -in Bihar due to abundance of fuel and newlineminerals. Urbanization has also been on the increase ever since. This has led to an newlineincrease in emission of a variety of air pollutants in major cities across the state. newlineUnfortunately, lack of concern for environment by the government and a relatively newlinelesser environmental awareness among people of the state, have created a situation newlinewhere not much attention is paid to control these air pollutants coming out of newlineindustries, households, vehicles etc. As a result of which air pollution levels have newlinebeen increasing alarmingly in almost all major cities. Hence these activities newlinedeteriorate the air quality of the state of Bihar. Thus, a need is felt to make a newlinecomprehensive assessment of the air pollution climatology of Bihar which deals with newlinethe meteorological parameters responsible for dispersal of air pollutants in order to newlinesuggest precautionar