AQI at 201, Lucknow skies lose shine after a week’s respite

The last time the city saw ‘poor’ air was on November 25, with an AQI of 219. Daily readings had remained in the ‘moderate’ range since then, offering brief relief after weeks of severe pollution in early winter.

Lucknow’s air quality fell back into the ‘poor’ category on Wednesday, ending a week of moderate pollution, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The city recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 201, marking the first decline this month.

Representational image (Sourced)

The last time the city saw ‘poor’ air was on November 25, with an AQI of 219. Daily readings had remained in the ‘moderate’ range since then, offering brief relief after weeks of severe pollution in early winter.

JP Maurya, regional officer, UPPCB, Lucknow, attributed the sudden deterioration to low wind speeds, increased local emissions, and winter inversion layers that trap pollutants near the ground. “With temperatures dropping, dispersal becomes weaker, allowing PM2.5 and PM10 particles to accumulate,” he explained.

Data from six live monitoring stations jointly run by CPCB and UPPCB showed varied pollution levels. Three stations recorded ‘poor’ AQI, while the other three remained ‘moderate’.

Talkatora District Industries Centre reported the worst air at an AQI of 278, close to the ‘very poor’ zone, attributed to industrial activity and dense traffic. Kendriya Vidyalaya Aliganj and Lalbagh recorded AQIs of 219 and 216, respectively, also in the ‘poor’ category.