With an air quality index (AQI) of 71, on Thursday, Mumbai witnessed cleanest air day since the beginning of 2019. According to the Hindustan Times, Mumbai’s air is expected to stay relatively pollution-free on Friday, too, with an expected AQI of 79 (satisfactory). The System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), which records the data, categorises 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.
Gufran Beig, project director, SAFAR told the leading daily, “Earlier this week, thundershowers and dust storms raised air quality into the ‘severe’ category for the entire north and northwest India. But, with the sudden rainfall and high-speed winds in the form of westerlies (northwesterly winds), pollutants have dispersed. On Thursday, moisture levels were high in Mumbai, which reduced the pollutant carrying capacity in the air, and high-speed sea breeze helped disperse the pollutants.” The SAFAR monitored AQI at 10 locations in Mumbai, out which Worli had the cleanest air at 39 (good) and Navi Mumbai was the most polluted at 123 (moderate).
