Pollution levels in Mumbai have been on a leap lately. On Sunday, The pollutant measuring indicator — Air Quality Index (AQI) in Mumbai was classified as poor, recording a 244, while Delhi accounted for 204 during the day and 183 (moderate) in the evening according to the System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR). This has happened for the first time in this season and twice this year.
The present mark is even higher than the pollution level on Diwali, October 29, when the AQI levels were at 204 (poor).
The AQI levels for PM2.5 pollutant — small pollutant particles that can easily enter the lungs and cause ailments — between 0-50 are good, 51-100 are satisfactory, 101-200 moderate, 201-300 poor, 301-400 very poor, and 400 and above are severe.
However, according to researchers, there is nothing alarming by the pollution levels in both the cities at this time of the year because of differing wind speeds in Mumbai and Delhi.
The wind speed in Delhi is quite high which disperses a majority of pollutants in spite of the cold weather. Mumbai, on the contrary, has high humidity and negligible wind speed that makes it prone to become a pollutant settling ground leading to a haze early morning and in the evening.
The project director of SAFAR, Gufran Beig said that the current pollution mark in Mumbai can continue till Tuesday and have the potential to go back to a ‘moderate’ level on Wednesday if the wind picks up speed. People sensitive to air pollution will have to face some health effects while the general public is less likely to be shaken.
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