9 Mumbai locations record 'poor,' 'very poor' AQI on Diwali
What's the story
Mumbai's air quality has taken a severe hit ahead of the Diwali festivities, with the city recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 187 on Monday morning. This is the worst AQI reading since October 10, when monsoon conditions withdrew. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data showed that nine out of 24 monitoring stations in Mumbai recorded "poor" and "very poor" AQI levels.
Localized pollution
BKC, Colaba, Deonar among areas with poor air quality
The Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) recorded the worst AQI at 334, followed by Colaba (Navy Nagar) at 274 and Deonar at 268. Other areas with poor air quality include Vile Parle (264), Andheri East (257), Mazgaon (240), Bandra East (Kherwadi) at 238, Malad at 214, and Worli at 201. An AQI of 0-50 is considered 'good,' 51-100 'satisfactory,' 101-200 'moderate,' 201-300 'poor,' 301-400 'very poor,' and 401-500 'severe.'
Climate impact
La Nina could worsen Mumbai's air quality
Meteorologists warn that Mumbai's air quality could deteriorate further due to the La Niña phenomenon. This climate pattern cools surface-ocean waters in the equatorial Pacific Ocean and slows down wind speeds, trapping pollutants in the air. Gufran Beig from the National Institute of Atmospheric Sciences said, "La Niña usually slows down the overall wind speed, which causes the AQI to worsen."
Pollution control
Authorities take action to improve air quality
Authorities said they have noticed poor air quality in areas like BKC due to construction activities and increased traffic. An official said, "Some of the areas, like BKC, have been recording consistently poor AQI readings." In response to the deteriorating air quality, officials have asked builders and contractors to sprinkle water at construction sites to prevent dust displacement. "At present, monitoring is underway, and on-ground action will be taken up soon," an official was quoted as saying by IE.