In recent developments, Mumbai’s air quality has turned “very poor” once again in the city and its suburbs.
According to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research, Mumbai recorded an AQI of 322 on Friday morning. An AQI of 301-400 is considered to be very harmful worthy of triggering a health warning.
Furthermore, SAFAR predicted that the air quality is likely to deteriorate the next few days due to continental pollution and remain in the “poor” category. Meanwhile, in Mumbai, areas like Worli, Sion, Mahape, Vasai and Kurla reported an AQI above 300 on Friday, February 12.
The AQI was calculated by SAFAR as the average of indices recorded at 10 locations in the city and suburbs. Moreover, SAFAR categorizes AQI levels for PM2.5 in the 0-50 range as good; 51-100 as satisfactory; 101-200 as moderate; 201-300 as poor; 301-400 as very poor and above 400 as severe.
In the past, the Mumbai air quality in and around the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) improved slightly from poor to moderate on December 28. An overall air quality index (AQI)—a pollutant measuring indicator of 180 (moderate) was recorded.
However, on the first day of 2021, the city had clocked the highest pollution levels in four years. While lower than December 31, Mumbai's overall AQI of 307 was still in the very poor category. Besides, it was also observed that the air quality in and around Mumbai deteriorated from ‘poor’ to ‘very poor’ for the first time in 2020 on New Year's Eve, December 31. Experts attributed the very poor quality of air to the inflow of air from the land (continental air) instead of that from the sea.
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