AHMEDABAD: At nightfall, the brilliance of stars is obscured by a sickly yellow curtain of light pollution across 75% of Ahmedabad’s sky. Streetlights, neon signs, and illumination of buildings cast the jaundiced pallor, blocking Amdavadis’ view of the glimmering canvas of the cosmos.
A study led by IIT-Kharagpur; School of Planning and Architecture, Bhopal; and ITM University, Gwalior, has focused on severe light pollution. The study said that over the airport and Maninagar in Ahmedabad, the nighttime sky is even worse, assuming the flaming orange hue.
Among 10 large cities analyzed by the study, Ahmedabad stands sixth in light pollution and Surat takes the eighth spot. Above them lie New Delhi, Hyderabad, Bangalore, and Mumbai in that order.
In Ahmedabad, the sky turns yellowish in areas such as Bodakdev, Satyagraha Society, Sarkhej, Corporate Road, and Jodhpur Tekra. In Bopal-Ghuma, the sky appears greyish. To spot stars, one will have to travel 6km north from Sanand.
Moving towards Nidhrad, Chandrasan, Dodar, Kanjari, Kunvar, Mankol, Vasan, Jetalpur, or Khoraj, one will notice the sky clearing up and stars will become visible.
The study said that 45% of the city’s sky registers light pollution in the range of 13-25 nano-watts per centimetre square per steradian (nano-watts/cm2/sr). Another 40% records 25-50 nano-watts/cm2/sr. The sky over the airport and Maninagar has the worst reading, at 50-100 nano-watts/cm2/sr.
The researchers are Tanya Kaur Bedi (IIT-Kharagpur), Kshama Puntambekar (SPA, Bhopal), and Sonal Singh (ITM, Gwalior).
They have cited a 2020 study of the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The US study said that each kilowatt of electric energy releases 1.3 pounds of carbon dioxide gas, 2gm of sulphur dioxide, and 1.60gm of nitrogen dioxide gas into the atmosphere.
Bedi told TOI: “Very few studies are underway in the field of light pollution.” Bedi added: “In fact, light pollution has been rising especially in New Delhi, Gujarat, West Bengal, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Uttar Pradesh from 2003 to 2013.”
