Significant drop in SO2 levels in India in last decade: IIT KGP study

Kolkata: There has been a significant drop in Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) levels in India in the last decade as compared to the previous three decades, a study conducted by IIT Kharagpur has found.
The reduction in emission and concentration of SO2 has been due to environmental regulation and the adoption of effective control technologies such as ‘scrubber’ and ‘flue gas desulphurisation’, the study conducted by a team of researchers from the Centre for Oceans, Rivers, Atmosphere and Land Sciences (CORAL) of the institute stated.
Also Read Land encroached by rich or poor will not be allowed, says Karnataka minister The study represents temporal changes in SO2 concentrations across India in the last four decades (1980-2020), an institute spokesperson said.
While thermal power plants contributed 51 per cent to SO2 concentration, the construction sector’s share was 29 per cent, as per the estimate during that period, the study noted.
The temporal analyses reveal that SO2 concentrations in India increased between 1980 and 2010 due to coal burning and the lack of novel technology to contain the emissions during that period.
Economic growth and air pollution control can go hand-in-hand by adopting new technologies to reduce SO2 and GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions, it said.