Click to test air quality

What inspired you to monitor air pollution through a cellphone? Interviewee:  Sameera Poduri

The top two

JANJGIR-CHAMPA Where power kills Located on the banks of the Mahanadi, a predominantely agricultural district, Janjgir-Champa is poised to become a industrial hub as several mega projects are planned there. Four thermal power plants have got clearance and 13 are under process. Two biomass-based thermal power plants are also planned.

Delhi’s wake up call

One hundred and forty days before Delhi hosts the Commonwealth Games, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, on May 15, called a meeting to discuss ways to control air pollution in the city.

In court

Airport expansion: A German court rejected an emergency appeal to stop construction work on a new runway and terminal at Frankfurt Airport, close to Kelsterbach Forest. Environmentalists and 13 towns had sued the state of Hesse to halt the expansion project for reasons ranging from nighttime noise to threat to wildlife. The US $5.18 million (4 billion) expansion project involves cutting down 162 hectares of forest and resettling protected animals. The runway will be used exclusively for landings in view of noise abatement restrictions.

Pollution not under control

Parliamentary report calls for saving the Central pollution control body

Hospital critical

victoria hospital in Bangalore is the most polluted of all areas recently studied in several cities of Karnataka. The 2007-08 report of Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (kspcb) described air pollution in the hospital area from "high" to "critical". Sulphur dioxide was measured at 16.1 microgramme per cubic metre (g/cu m) in the air at the hospital, oxides of nitrogen were measured at 38.7 g/cu m, respirable suspended particulate matter at 66 g/cu m and suspended particulate matter at 196 g/cu m.

Grain warehouse workers prone to respiratory diseases

workers in warehouses are regularly exposed to respiratory diseases and allergies. Usually, grain warehouses have high concentrations of airborne grain dust which contains very harmful pesticides, bacteria, spores, storage mites and pollens. Fungal spores and other contaminants in the air can lead to serious pulmonary problems. These symptoms have been widely found among workers engaged in refilling grain bags where the air has a lot of airborne dust. Occupational diseases are generally associated with workers in hazardous conditions such as mines.

Japan blames China for smog

Smog that has engulfed Japan's cities and rural areas for the first time in 30 years has alarmed the government prompting it to issue warnings to 28 prefectures in the country. Experts blame neighbouring China for the "photochemical smog", created when sunlight reacts with exhaust from cars and factories. The particles can lead to difficulties in breathing and headaches. "There has been a rise in average levels of photochemical oxidants across Japan since the 1990s. But a substantial part of the rise has come from increasing emissions in China.