With the onset of winter, the air quality in Mumbai has started deteriorating. Amid Diwali celebrations, the air quality in the city dipped to 'moderate' category on Sunday morning.
According to System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), Air quality index (AQI) for all pollutants on Sunday was 111 (moderate) with PM2.5 levels in the satisfactory category at 54 microgrammes per cubic metre (µg/m3) against the safe limit of 60 µg/m3, and AQI for PM10 at 116 (moderate).
An AQI between 0-50 is marked good, 51-100 is satisfactory, 101- 200 is moderate, 201- 300 is poor, 301-400 is very poor and 401-500 is considered severe. According to experts, the severe category affects the health of people and seriously impacts those with existing diseases.
Meanwhile, the minimum temperature at the city's Santacruz observatory on Sunday dipped to 23.5 degree Celsius, while the Colaba observatory recorded a minimum temperature of 25 degree Celsius. The maximum temperature continued to remain high. According to Mumbai IMD's website on Sunday, Santacruz and Colaba recorded a high temperature of 36 degree Celsius and 35 degree Celsius respectively.
Diwali, the festival of lights, is being celebrated across Mumbai with fervour, but in a subdued manner under the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic. Even as the Maharashtra government has not banned firecrackers, the Shiv Sena-led Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has announced a ban on the use of crackers and fireworks in the city to curb the spread of coronavirus.
The civic body has, however, allowed use of 'mild firecrackers' on Laxmi Pujan, saying Mumbaikars can use anar (cracker known for a sparkling display and showers of coloured sparks upwards) and 'fulzadi' (sparklers) at their private premises.
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