• Indian Army commissioned a Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring System (CAAQMS) at Fort William Military Station, Kolkata, West Bengal. It is a part of the countrywide Go Green’ initiative.
• The Air Quality Monitoring System was commissioned by Lt Gen M M Naravane, General Officer Commander-in-Chief, Eastern Command. It will be overall sixth CAAQMS in Kolkata.

CAAQMS

• Along with measuring air pollution, the CAAQMS will display the wind speed, direction, ambient temperature, relative humidity, solar radiation, barometric pressure, and rain gauge.
• The CAAQMS at the Eastern Command headquarters, Fort William in Kolkata, will measure air pollution, including SO2, NO, NO2, NH3, CO, O3, VOC and particulate matters (PM 10 and PM 2.5) continuously throughout the year.
• West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB) or any other local or international weather monitoring bodies can also use CAAQMS.
• The data can be remotely monitored on the internet and collated into various desired formats. Its readings will be considered a benchmark of quality.
• The data will be published via the Internet for public awareness.

Army’s previous efforts:

• Apart from this, initiatives have already been taken to reduce the consumption of electricity as well as conserve water and segregate waste at Fort William.
• It has reduced electricity bills and distributed nearly 100 sets of dustbins in the garrison for segregation of waste.