New Mangalore Port installs real-time air quality monitoring station

Mangaluru: The New Mangalore Port Authority (NMPA) has commissioned a state-of-the-art Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Station (CAAQMS) at the Seamen’s Memorial Garden, located inside the port’s wharf area near Mallya Gate.

The initiative, completed at a project cost of ₹2.76 crore, is aimed at strengthening environmental management and public health monitoring in line with National Air Quality Standards. The station was installed on August 10 and will be maintained for five years, until July 2030.

The CAAQMS is designed to record real-time levels of major air pollutants, including particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), sulphur dioxide (SO₂), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), ozone (O₃), carbon monoxide (CO), and ammonia (NH₃). Weather data such as wind speed, wind direction, humidity, ambient temperature, pressure, and solar radiation will also be tracked continuously.

Officials said the system transmits data live to the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). This allows regulatory authorities to monitor compliance and take corrective measures promptly. The information is also displayed publicly at the port gate to encourage awareness and transparency.“The new station will enable timely interventions to address air quality concerns and strengthen environmental safeguards,” an NMPA spokesperson said. The authority has urged citizens, port users, and the wider public to regularly check the readings, noting that community participation is vital in environmental protection.