Why Victoria Memorial is unfit for morning walkers

Kolkata: A high level of vehicular pollution is not only damaging Kolkata’s landmark Victoria Memorial but has rendered the air around the magnificent structure and its adjacent ‘Maidan’ area unfit for morning walkers, according to a report. “Thousands of people from all walks of life go for morning walks, jogging, exercise, yoga and laughter therapy sessions around the Maidan area daily for health benefits but end up inhaling toxic fumes from vehicles,” green technologist Somendramohan Ghosh, who conducted the study, told PTI. [caption id=“attachment_1222621” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Victoria Memorial. AFP.[/caption] “It is ironical that those who come to the Maidan for breathing in clean air actually inhale toxic gases,” he said. Environmental organisation SMG-HAI installed infrared photocopy meter and dust accumulator machine near Victoria Memorial area to find the level of pollution. Their report says the average SPM (suspended particulate matter) level in the morning hours from 4 AM to 8 AM is 227 mg/m3 while the permissible limit is 100 mg/m3. Similarly, the average nitrogen dioxide level was found to be 105 mg/m3 while the standard limit is 105 mg/m3. “Not only is the Victoria Memorial getting damaged because of the air pollution, it is now also clear that the area is unfit for morning walk as well,” Ghosh, an expert on air pollution, said. On an average, around 10,000 vehicles pass through the area every hour. Since the Victoria Memorial is centrally located with busy roads encircling it, traffic congestion and long detention of vehicles at traffic signals at roadway intersections increase vehicular pollution. “The flow of traffic should be restricted here because vehicles are the biggest pollutants,” Ghosh said.