Mumbai air pollution: Air quality in the city in moderate category; AQI at 153

Mumbai air pollution The air quality in the financial capital of India Mumbai stands in moderate category on Saturday The air quality index recorded at 1 PM stood at 153 according to monitoring agenciesAn AQI between zero and 50 is considered good 51 and 100 satisfactory 101 and 200 moderate 201 and 300 poor 301 and 400 very poor and 401 and 500 severeAlso read COPD This disease is emerging as the second most fatal after heart attackMeanwhile the air quality in the national capital city of Delhi improved overnight due to an increase in the wind speed and a change in the wind direction but it still stands in the very poor category according to monitoring agenciesThe citys Air Quality Index AQI stood at 339 at 9 am improving from 405 at 4 pm on Friday The 24hour average AQI recorded at 4 pm everyday stood at 419 on Thursday It was 401 on Wednesday 397 on Tuesday 358 on Monday 218 on Sunday 220 on Saturday and 279 on FridayThe relatively better air quality last weekend was attributed to rain Air pollution levels surged in the following days due to intense firecracker bursting on Diwali night and a resurgence in stubble burning in the neighbouring statesThese effects were compounded by unfavourable meteorological conditions primarily calm winds and low temperatures hindering the dispersion of pollutantsAlso read In Photos Mumbai air quality in moderate category AQI at 153Neighbouring Ghaziabad 274 Gurugram 346 Greater Noida 258 Noida 285 and Faridabad 328 also recorded very poor to severe air qualityAn AQI between zero and 50 is considered good 51 and 100 satisfactory 101 and 200 moderate 201 and 300 poor 301 and 400 very poor 401 and 450 severe and above 450 severe plusRecent findings from a joint project by the Delhi government and Indian Institute of Technology IIT Kanpur found out that vehicular emissions accounted for about 45 per cent of the capitals air pollution on Friday This is likely to reduce to 38 per cent on SaturdaySecondary inorganic aerosols particles such as sulfate and nitrate that are formed in the atmosphere due to the interaction of gases and particulate pollutants from sources like power plants refineries and vehicles is the second major contributor to Delhis foul air accounting for 19 to 36 per cent of the air pollution in the city over the last few daysAn official at the India Meteorological Department IMD said an improvement in the wind speed from November 21 onwards might bring the air pollution levels downDelhis air quality dropped over the last few days despite the city government implementing stringent measures including a ban on construction work and the entry of dieselguzzling trucks into the national capitalAccording to IQAir a Swiss company that specialises in airquality monitoring Delhi was the secondmost polluted city in the world on Saturday after BaghdadThe Commission for Air Quality Management CAQM had earlier said stringent measures including a ban on construction work and the entry of polluting trucks into the national capital under the final stage of the Centres air pollution control plan the Graded Response Action Plan GRAP will continue until further ordersThe Delhi government set up a sixmember special task force STF on Thursday to ensure a strict implementation of the measures outlined in the GRAP in the capital Delhis special secretary environment will head the STF whose members include senior officials from the departments of transport traffic revenue Municipal Corporation of Delhi MCD and Public Works Department PWD With inputs from PTI