MUMBAI: Mumbai’s air quality deteriorated further to its worst level so far this year with the Air Quality Index (AQI) – a pollutant measuring indicator – at 319 (very poor) on Friday. The air quality in Mumbai has been worst than Delhi for the second consecutive day, according to the AQI, recorded by the System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR).
While the AQI measured for Mumbai was 313 on Thursday and 319 on Friday, for Delhi it was 256 on Thursday and 221 on Friday, which falls in the 'poor' category.
The SAFAR 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.
Of the 6 air quality monitoring stations, eight stations recorded 'very poor' AQI, with Colaba as the most polluted at 349 AQI. It was followed by BKC at 342, Andheri at 331, Navi Mumbai at 330, Malad at 332, Borivali at 321 and Mazgaon and Chembur at 313 and 312 AQI respectively.
According to the Short Range Forecast by SAFAR, AQI in Mumbai is likely to remain 'very poor' for the next two days. “Due to drop in the temperature and the pollutants trapped near the surface and a slow dispersion of accumulated pollutants is leading to very poor AQI,” said SAFAR.
"Colder temperature along with lots of moisture with little rain drizzling along with calm winds trigger secondary PM (Particulate Matter) formation and deteriorate the air quality. But if it rains sufficiently then AQI will improve," Dr. Gufran Beig, scientist and programme director at SAFAR, told the Free Press Journal.
AQI Mumbai in 2021
January 1
Mumbai: 307
Navi Mumbai: 349
Andheri: 305
BKC: 363
Malad: 321
Chembur: 312
Mazgaon: 342
January 6
Mumbai: 309
Navi Mumbai: 329
BKC: 269
Chembur: 313
Andheri: 321
Borivali: 344
Mazgaon: 327
Bhandup: 201
January 7
Mumbai: 313
Navi Mumbai: 325
Andheri:317
BKC: 315
Malad: 326
Chembur: 309
Colaba: 318
Borivali: 326
Mazgaon: 322
Bhandup: 200
January 8
Mumbai: 319
Navi Mumbai: 330
BKC: 342
Malad: 332
Chembur: 312
Colaba: 349
Andheri: 331
Borivali: 321
Worli: 218
Mazgaon: 313
