In the last few weeks Mumbai has been consistently recording ‘poor’ to ‘very poor’ category AQI levels.
The high level of pollution in the air is borne out on the ground by the number of people suffering from bronchial and throat issues.
As per latest data revealed by the System of Air Quality Research and Forecasting (SAFAR), the city AQI was 'very poor' at 312 on Wednesday morning, January 18. Meanwhile, the pollutant PM 2.5 and PM 10 concentrations were at 135 and 194 respectively.
It is pertinent to note that with the mercury dip, the air quality in Mumbai has also taken a hit as city's AQI surpassed that of Delhi's earlier this week.
However, owing to this, schools across the city and suburbs find many students turning up sick or even skipping classes due to viral infections. In some schools, attendance has dropped by around 15-20% during last week, with several students leaving for home in the middle of the day.
On the other hand, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board’s (MPBC) response to Mumbai’s alarming air quality has garnered a lot of criticism. The board has suggested to shoot the messenger rather than find solutions by tackling source emissions.
The state’s principal pollution control body has sought to relocate nine stations run by the SAFAR which give the AQI readings from their current spot on the ground that they do not accurately reflect Mumbai’s ambient air quality.
Moreover, in the last few days, the city's minimum temperature is hovering around between 14°C and 16°C - the lowest of this season.
On Wednesday, January 18, India Meteorological Department (IMD)’s Santacruz and Colaba observatory recorded a minimum temperature of 15.5 degrees and 18.2 degrees respectively.
AQI of different areas in Mumbai:
Colaba: 295, AQI - Poor
Mazgaon: 371, AQI - Very Poor
Worli: 126, AQI - Moderate
Sion: 297, AQI - Poor
Thane: 184, AQI - Moderate
Navi Mumbai: 368, AQI - Very Poor
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