Patna: The Bihar State Pollution Control Board (BSPCB) on Tuesday issued an advisory to the general public regarding the dos and don'ts in the wake of increase in air pollution in Patna.

Data on the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) website showed that the level of atmospheric particulate matter sized 2.5 microns (PM2.5) over the city was 151 micrograms per cubic metre, or over twice the safe limit at 7pm on Tuesday, while it was 120.79 micrograms per cubic metre in the previous 24 hours (micrograms per cubic metre).

On November 13, the level of atmospheric particulate matter had reached five times higher than the prescribed limit.

The value for PM2.5 prescribed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) is 60 micrograms per cubic metre. The increase in PM2.5 (suspended particulates) can cause respiratory problems. According to experts, it can make matters worse for people having asthma attacks and also for people allergic to dust.

"Plying e-rickshaws instead of diesel and petrol-run autorickshaws have been suggested in the advisory. We have also appealed to people not to burn solid waste, tyres, biomass-related objects in the open. Using clean cooking fuel (abstaining from coal, cow dung fuel) has also been advised in the advisory. Farmers have been asked not to burn farm waste. The road construction and building construction department has been asked to sprinkle water on roads and at construction sites to settle dust," said an official with the BSPCB.

Environmentalists, are, however not happy with the advisory. "What the board has asked people to do is nothing new. The BSPCB is supposed to enforce implementation of the existing rules, which they have failed," said noted environmentalist Ashok Ghosh.