High air pollution in Colombo expected from tomorrow with increased traffic Unhealthy especially for sensitive persons such as those with asthma

By Ifham Nizam 

From tomorrow onwards, air quality will drop to unhealthy levels for sensitive persons, such as those with asthma, especially living in the Colombo city and experts warned that air quality was gradually deteriorating to worse levels in the metropolis from present moderate level.

Experts stressed that the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) should act fast to activate the existing air quality monitoring machines.

"We experienced worse conditions in August and December, last year, however, the matter went unnoticed," an official said.

Experts said that there were five methods to monitor air levels; however, Sri Lanka was yet to go all out to gauge air pollution levels using all parameters.

Going by the present index, Air Quality Index Colombo, with few parameters, the present moderate level trend between 70-100 would jump to 75 and 105 from Sunday.

When contacted, CEA Director General Hemantha Jayasinghe told The Island that they would be in a position to monitor 24 hours a day from mid-May. "We installed monitoring machines in Battaramulla and in Kandy and would be able start operations next month."

He also said that CEA would also have a mobile monitoring machine, apart from the testing facility in Colombo Fort.

Experts said that National Building Research  (NBRO) contribution to the National Air Quality Management had a long standing history as a pioneer air quality monitoring agency though they stick with two parameters.

It is claimed that currently the NBRO air quality monitoring unit includes staff and instrumentation of both field and laboratory monitoring. The unit has also developed a unique low cost monitoring facility through extensive research to monitor Sulphur dioxide (SO2) and Nitrogen Oxide (NO2) in the ambient air by passive wet chemical monitoring techniques.