Kolkata: The West Bengal government is set to expand its air quality surveillance network across the state, with plans to monitor ambient air pollution at 83 stations in district towns for the next three years.
The initiative will be implemented by the West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB) from July 2026 to June 2029, as part of efforts to generate reliable data on pollution levels outside the state’s major metropolitan centres.
WBPCB sources said the monitoring programme aims to strengthen environmental oversight across rapidly growing urban areas and provide scientific data that can guide policy decisions on pollution control.
“Expanding monitoring to district towns will help authorities track air quality trends across different regions of the state,” a WBPCB official said. “The data will support informed planning and regulatory measures to address pollution,” he added.
Under the programme, monitoring will be carried out in accordance with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (2009) and the Central Pollution Control Board’s guidelines for manual sampling and analysis of ambient air pollutants issued in 2011.
The monitoring stations will measure a range of pollutants used to assess ambient air quality, including PM10, PM2.5, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, lead, nickel, arsenic and benzo(a)pyrene.
Officials said the expanded monitoring network is expected to provide a clearer understanding of air pollution patterns across district towns, many of which have seen increasing traffic, urbanisation and industrial activity in recent years.
According to WBPCB sources, the information generated from the stations will allow authorities to analyse pollution trends over time and identify areas that may require targeted regulatory attention.
The monitoring work will be carried out by laboratories located in West Bengal that are recognised by the pollution control board and accredited for ambient air quality testing.
Officials said the initiative forms part of the state government’s broader push to strengthen environmental monitoring systems and align them with national standards and scientific protocols. By expanding air quality monitoring beyond major cities, authorities expect to obtain more region-specific data that can support long-term pollution management strategies and improve environmental governance across West Bengal in the coming years.