Understaffed air quality monitoring lab turns to private firms for manpower | Mumbai News

Mumbai: The BMC air quality monitoring and research laboratory (AQMRL), which was operating with a minuscule staff of 11, as opposed to a mandated strength of about 52, has turned to private firms for the required manpower. The functioning of units such as air monitoring, gaseous, instrumentation, the mobile monitoring van, and the manual air quality monitoring stations, which operate under AQMRL, are tremendously affected due to a lack of sufficient scientific and other staff required for running them. The private firms are expected to provide manpower for analytical and testing services for air monitoring, collection of air samples, and calibration of lab equipment, besides consultancy.
Under the Mumbai Municipal Corporation (MMC) Act, the Environmental Status Report is prepared and submitted every year to the Corporation. Besides, the AQMRL carried out various statistical analyses; therefore, it is imperative to carry out the air quality monitoring and analytical testing activities regularly to monitor and analyse the air quality parameters. The civic body, in view of the shortage of technical manpower at the AQMRL, has floated a tender inviting the provision of technical manpower for analytical services at AQMRL to streamline routine work for a year.
“The AQMRL and the environment department have faced neglect for some time now, as some of the earlier Municipal Commissioners thought there was little relevance of the environment department and the air quality monitoring and research laboratory of the civic body, in view of the role played by the pollution control board. Little attention was paid to replacing the scientific staff, who were retiring, which in turn led to a large number of vacancies in the AQMRL, which has affected its working. However, with increasing focus on the environment and the deteriorating air quality in the city, the civic body is now paying attention to the environment department,” said a civic official.
The AQMRL has a mandated staff strength of 52, of which 41 are vacant, while in the remaining 11 staff, only two are from the scientific category, including the Scientist in-charge; the rest are lab assistants and technicians. While the environment department and the laboratory will soon be recruiting the technical manpower, taking into account the qualifications required for the scientific and technical staff in view of the developments in the field of environmental science, the BMC will seek the help of private firms to tide over the situation.
In the past, the BMC had good air quality monitoring systems in place and was doing tremendous work. Air quality-related action has to be primarily carried out by the Municipal Corporation. Though there is MPCB, it has the responsibility for the whole state, and it is better that the department and the lab are strengthened, said Dr Rakesh Kumar, President for Society for Indoor Environment.
Mumbai: The BMC air quality monitoring and research laboratory (AQMRL), which was operating with a minuscule staff of 11, as opposed to a mandated strength of about 52, has turned to private firms for the required manpower. The functioning of units such as air monitoring, gaseous, instrumentation, the mobile monitoring van, and the manual air quality monitoring stations, which operate under AQMRL, are tremendously affected due to a lack of sufficient scientific and other staff required for running them. The private firms are expected to provide manpower for analytical and testing services for air monitoring, collection of air samples, and calibration of lab equipment, besides consultancy.
Under the Mumbai Municipal Corporation (MMC) Act, the Environmental Status Report is prepared and submitted every year to the Corporation. Besides, the AQMRL carried out various statistical analyses; therefore, it is imperative to carry out the air quality monitoring and analytical testing activities regularly to monitor and analyse the air quality parameters. The civic body, in view of the shortage of technical manpower at the AQMRL, has floated a tender inviting the provision of technical manpower for analytical services at AQMRL to streamline routine work for a year.
“The AQMRL and the environment department have faced neglect for some time now, as some of the earlier Municipal Commissioners thought there was little relevance of the environment department and the air quality monitoring and research laboratory of the civic body, in view of the role played by the pollution control board. Little attention was paid to replacing the scientific staff, who were retiring, which in turn led to a large number of vacancies in the AQMRL, which has affected its working. However, with increasing focus on the environment and the deteriorating air quality in the city, the civic body is now paying attention to the environment department,” said a civic official.
The AQMRL has a mandated staff strength of 52, of which 41 are vacant, while in the remaining 11 staff, only two are from the scientific category, including the Scientist in-charge; the rest are lab assistants and technicians. While the environment department and the laboratory will soon be recruiting the technical manpower, taking into account the qualifications required for the scientific and technical staff in view of the developments in the field of environmental science, the BMC will seek the help of private firms to tide over the situation.
In the past, the BMC had good air quality monitoring systems in place and was doing tremendous work. Air quality-related action has to be primarily carried out by the Municipal Corporation. Though there is MPCB, it has the responsibility for the whole state, and it is better that the department and the lab are strengthened, said Dr Rakesh Kumar, President for Society for Indoor Environment.