Identification of polluting sources for Bengaluru: source apportionment study

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Government of India, launched the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) in 2019, with the aim to improve air-quality levels in non-attainment cities. NCAP has identified 122 non-attainment cities (cities that violate the national ambient air quality standards). Bengaluru, the capital of Karnataka state, is one of the non-attainment cities. In this context, the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) has put forth action points for reducing the air-pollution levels in the city. These action points are dynamic and would evolve with scientific evidence. The present Source Apportionment (SA) study presents the scientific evidence and sectoral action items for implementation towards clean Bengaluru. The source apportionment of particulate matter (PM) will help in understanding the emission sources and estimating the share of contributing sectors at different locations in Bengaluru city. Further, the information on of PM2.5 and PM10 sources will help identify implementable policies and targeted measures to reduce their concentration in the atmosphere.