Haze persists as AQI worsens, Borivali east worst

According to the 4pm bulletin by the Central Pollution Control Board, Mumbai’s overall AQI was 198 (moderate), up from 168 on Tuesday, and just three points away from “poor”

MUMBAI: Mumbai continued to be blanketed in haze on Wednesday, with the overall air quality index (AQI) almost slipping into the “poor” category.

The city was blanketed in haze on Wednesday. (Bhushan Koyande/HT Photo)

According to the 4pm bulletin by the Central Pollution Control Board, Mumbai’s overall AQI was 198 (moderate), up from 168 on Tuesday, and just three points away from “poor”.

Two days after Mazgaon recorded “very poor” AQI, Borivali east breached the 300-mark, recording an AQI of 303 on Wednesday. As many as 10 of the 21 air quality monitoring stations in Mumbai recorded “poor” AQI; eight recorded “moderate” AQI; and only one recorded “satisfactory” readings.

Borivali east was worst, at 303 (very poor), followed by Mazgaon at 269, Mulund at 265, Malad at 250; Powai at 214, Andheri at 205, and Deonar at 204.

Mumbai’s AQI has remained “moderate” across November, while several pockets have been consistently recording “poor” AQI.

Mahesh Palawat of Skymet said winter is typically associated with slow winds, which when combined with cool temperatures, keep pollutants suspended in the lower atmosphere for prolonged periods. This creates smog.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), over the last week, has issued more than 50 stop-work notices to construction sites, for failing to follow guidelines that mandate the installation of AQI sensors and water sprinklers, among other measures, to contain dust pollution. Two monitoring squads are inspecting construction sites at the ward level.

In a meeting held on Tuesday, chaired by municipal commissioner Bhushan Gagrani, the plan to impose the Graded Response Action Plan-4 (GRAP-4), which would impose a blanket ban on all construction activities in the city, was discussed.

According to civic officials, the BMC will impose GRAP-4 if the overall AQI in Mumbai crosses the 200-mark for three consecutive days, and crosses the 300-mark at individual stations for three consecutive days.

Mazgaon has recorded “poor” AQI for more than 11 days, followed by Deonar, which has recorded “poor” AQI for 14 days, and Malad “poor” AQI for 12 days.

Beyond the numbers, the persistent haze and bad air quality is impacting health. “It is bound to affect pregnant women and children most. When pollutants enter a pregnant woman’s body, they travel to the foetus through the bloodstream. This makes the child prone to allergies and other secondary diseases later in life,” said Dr Indu Khosla, paediatric pulmonologist, SRCC Children’s Hospital. “Children also quicker than adults, and tend to spend more time outdoors. Their lungs are still growing, so we are witnessing an increasing number of pneumonia and asthma cases,” she said.