India's Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka and UP emerge as top dust emitters: IIT

In a recent study conducted by researchers from IIT Delhi and IIT Kanpur, five Indian states - Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Gujarat - were identified as the major contributors to the country's dust emissions.

These states were reported to have high levels of dust particles in the air because of factors like road dust, construction sites and high traffic volume. The study emphasised the need for effective mitigation measures.

In the study conducted by researchers from IIT Delhi and IIT Kanpur, it was indicated that five states made a contribution to 60 per cent of total dust emission in the country in terms of both particulate matter (PM) 10 and 2.5.

A “comprehensive particulate matter road dust emission inventory” for 2022 was prepared by the study in which they used the vehicle registration data which was used from 1,352 RTOs in India. States like Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Gujarat turned out as the predominant contributors to the road dust emissions.

“Specific states such as Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Gujarat emerged as the predominant contributors to road dust emissions. These states not only exhibit elevated silt loading (sL) values but also account for a substantial proportion of the total registered vehicles in India, thereby underscoring the pressing imperative for effective mitigation measures,” stated the study, further reflecting that these states also accounted for nearly 43 per cent of the total registered vehicles in India.

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Dust emissions lead to irritation in respiratory tracts

The findings of the study were published in the Elsevier journal Science of the Total Environment in a paper titled “Fugitive road dust particulate matter emission inventory for India: A field campaign in 32 Indian cities”. The paper's authors included Arpit Katiyar, Diljit Kumar Nayak, Pavan Kumar Nagar, Dhirendra Singh, Mukesh Sharma and Sri Harsa Kota.

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Speaking to The Times Of India, Ahmedabad-based pulmonologist and chest physician Dr Gopal Raval explained what are the effects of such high levels of dust emissions in the state, He said that five out of 10 patients visit the clinic due to irritation in respiratory tracts which is caused by dust.

"While some had come for issues due to emissions from construction sites, others were living near the roads with high traffic volume and high concentration of dust particles in the air," said Dr Raval.

"The primary sign of dust-related irritation is non-obstructive chronic bronchitis where the patients get a bad dry cough which is not caused by any infection,” he added.

(With inputs from agencies)