Kochi to operate more automatic weather stations for real time toxic gas leak monitoring

Kochi: The department of factories and boilers will operate two more automatic weather stations to predict the dispersion of toxic gas in the event of any chemical leakage from factories in industrial areas in the district. This will help the authorities concerned to take safety measures immediately.A weather station is already operational in the Ambalamugal industrial area. With two more weather stations being operational in Puthuvype-Willingdon Island and the Eloor industrial cluster, the coverage will be expanded. The weather stations are installed as part of the remote sensing-enabled online chemical emergency response system, a real-time disaster monitoring system in Kochi.The prediction of the dispersion of toxic gas will be assessed based on data such as wind speed, direction, humidity and other climatic conditions in the area."The remote sensing system will help us know the real-time details if any chemical hazard occurs. We currently run the system on a trial basis and enhancements are also underway. A total of 15 factories, including those involved in petroleum products, are added to the remote sensing system. Two more factories need to be included. With the enhancement of the remote sensing system and the functioning of automatic weather stations, each covering a five km radius, we can cover the whole industrial area and know the real-time chemical leakage hazard, if it occurs, and predict the direction of the gas movement in the air. Currently, we have an alarm system to detect the leakage," said an official.