Mumbai pollution: Likely rains, city's hope for clean air

Mumbai: The city's air quality continued to remain in the poor category on Sunday after recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 245. Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted the possibility of light rain today, which might settle down the pollutants suspended in air. If there is only drizzle, it may increase the AQI as the pollutants get trapped in moisture resulting in smog.

The IMD has indicated cloudy skies with the possibility of thundershowers and light rain on Monday and Tuesday. This is an unseasonal rainfall due to a cyclone over the coast of Tamil Nadu.

According to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR) Project Director Gufran Beig, the city's air quality may see a decline or a rise depending on the showers, which the IMD has forecast.

If the rainfall is between light to moderate then the pollutants in the air may wash away. But if it's just a light drizzle then the moisture will absorb the pollutants and remain in the air, which will result in the formation of smog.

On Sunday, the city areas with very poor AQI were Chembur (321), BKC (309), Andheri (306), Mazagaon (301) and Malad (300). On the same day, Santacruz witnessed a minimum temperature of 18 degrees Celsius and a maximum of 31 degrees Celsius, with 75% relative humidity. Colaba experienced a minimum temperature of 21 degrees Celsius and a maximum of 32 degrees Celsius, with 85% relative humidity.