The state pollution control board has launched a website that would enable residents check air, noise, soil and water pollution levels in their respective neighbourhoods.

As part of a World Bank-funded project, Bihar State Pollution Control Board (BSPCB) runs Bihar Environmental Information System (Envis) Centre, which is dedicated to collecting and disseminating information about environmental conditions in the state.

The website of Bihar Envis Centre, www.bhenvis.nic.in, provides a data bank on environmental parameters and aims at spreading awareness on environment conservation among masses.

“Bihar Envis was launched on February 27 and it is primarily responsible for collection and maintenance of the data bank on various environment-related parameters and disseminating such information through various media, including web portal to all stakeholders,” said Manoj Kumar Singh, Envis co-ordinator and member-secretary of BPSCB.

Launched by the ministry of environment and forests in 2002, Envis has altogether 85 centres across the country till date. Each centre focuses on a dedicated subject and all the centres together work as a network on environmental issues. “The subject area for Bihar Envis centre has been assigned as Status of Environment and Related Issues and its jurisdiction spreads across the entire state. To start with, we have focused on providing data bank on biodiversity, noise and air pollution, ground and surface water contamination and solid waste among other environment parameters with regard to Patna only and soon the corresponding data for the entire state would be available on the domain,” said Anil Kumar, information officer, Bihar Envis centre.

Though the centre functions out of BSPCB premises, parts of its website are under construction. The centre is mulling to connect the continuous automatic ambient air quality station at Patna planetarium. “We have put over 150 pages on the website till date related to valuable local and general information on various environmental parameters. However, there are still several sections on the website which are being worked upon. Under the same process, we are thinking of providing continuous data on environmental parameters, including noise, air and pollution on the domain. This would allow people to keep regular tabs on the quantum of pollutants in the environment,” said the information officer.

Visitors, especially students, are finding the website highly informative and helpful. “The website contains very interesting information with regard to environment. I especially liked the section on noise pollution containing frequency range for hearing of humans and animals, common sound levels and noise status in various areas of Patna for 2010-11 and also on the day of Diwali, 2011. Moreover, the water pollution section is also informative and useful for academics as well,” said Manish Kumar, a student of DAV Public School.