7th November, Gurugram: At a time when the entire NCR including the capital city of Delhi and the millennium city of Gurgaon are experiencing very poor Air Quality, AQI exceeding 300 plus, the Amity University Haryana is recording PM2.5 of 41 and PM10 of 153, significantly lower than what is recorded in most places in NCR. The PM10 today is exceeding 100 primarily because of stubble burning in the nebouring areas of Haryana, otherwise throughout the years the particulate matters, including PM10 remain below 100, said Prof PB Sharma, Vice Chancellor, AUH.
The lush green campus of AUH is located behind the village Pachgaon and has the unique distinction of being a LEED Certified University Campus since June 2017 by US Green Building Council that certifies leadership in energy efficiency and environmental design. The university campus has a well-functioning national Air pollution monitoring facility within the campus established in collaboration with IITM Pune and Ministry of Earth Sciences, GoI. The University also has NASA-Aeronet monitoring station for real time monitoring of aerosol, tiny particles that impact both the environmental and human health, said Prof PCS Devara, Director ACOAST and Head of the Amity Centre for Air Pollution Control. The Amity Centre for Air Pollution Control is inspired and mentored by Chancellor of AUH Dr Aseem Chauhan.
The National Air Pollution Monitoring Station records 16 pollution parameters in real time that include PM10, PM2.5, PM1 and polluting gases like CO2, CO, O3, NO2, NO3, Ammonia, NH3, Benzene and Xylene. It is hearting to note that during the period October 1 to November 5 this year the average of PM10, PM2.5 and PM1 at AUH monitoring station at 07:00am stood at 99.51, 44.57 and 7.86 microgram/ per cubic meter, respectively. This is in sharp contrast to the average during the same period at 07:00am at RK Puram, New Delhi of PM10 (286.98), PM2.5 (162.19) and at Gurugram Sector 51 of PM10 (215.86) and PM2.5 (138.72), says Dr Sahil Wadhwa, Assistant Professor and Research Scientist at Amity Centre for Air Pollution Control.
A Comparison of Air Quality at monitored at RK Puram New Delhi, Sector 51 Gurugram and AUH Campus
This significant reduction in air pollution and clean air in university campus is achieved by Amity University Haryana because of its campus designed with green concept and maintained with care as a lush green campus. The vehicular movement in the campus is curtailed during the day to further control vehicular emission, while the thick green walls in the campus provide oxygen rich air for its students and faculty. The Universities in India should lead example in respect of providing clean air and green energy. All central and state universities including the IITs, NITs, IISERs, IITs and large Private University campuses can also lead by example like we are doing here in AUH says Prof PB Sharma, Vice Chancellor who is the past President of Association of Indian Universities and former Professor of IIT Delhi.
