CMC, Environment Ministry take measures to make Colombo green to combat toxic air

Mayor of Colombo Rosy Senanayake, handing over the project report prepared by Colombo MC “Save a Plant for Colombo” “Project to Minister of Environment Mahinda Amaraweera and Dr. Anil Jasinghe, Secretary Ministry of Environment.

By Ifham Nizam

The government has launched a programme to prevent air pollution in the city and other urban centres by planting trees, Minister Amaraweera says.

The Minister yesterday said latest scientific studies showed that the oxygen level in the atmosphere of the city of Colombo was gradually declining.

On Thursday, a meeting was held between Environment Minister and Colombo Mayor Rosy Senanayake on the tree planting programme.

Mayor Senanayake handed over the ‘Save a Tree for Colombo’ programme prepared by the Colombo Municipal Council to Minister Amaraweera and Ministry Secretary Dr. Anil Jasinghe.

The Mayor also requested that a programme be launched to measure the oxygen content in the air in the Colombo city on a daily basis and provide necessary expertise and technical assistance for environmental conservation in the Colombo Municipal Council area.

Minister Amaraweera said that the Ministry of Environment would extend all possible assistance to the CMC to prevent noise pollution and air pollution in the city of Colombo.

According to the US Air Quality Index, the smallest particulate material, PM 2.5, has a value of between 100 and 150, a condition that can have a profound effect on sensitive groups. PM refers to a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air and particles such as soot, dust, dirt, or smoke as being visible to naked eye. It is categorized according to particle size. PM10 carries particles 10 micrometres or smaller and are inhalable, while PM 2.5 carries particles 2.5 micrometres and smaller which is three times smaller than a hair strand.

“In terms of meteorological conditions, northerly winds are blowing from Indian peninsula which has high air pollution thus worsening the situation here,” an official at the Meteorological Department said.