Mumbai breathes cleanest air of the year, pollution levels drop

Mumbai recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 115 on Monday, significantly down from Sunday's 186.

The city breathed its cleanest air so far this year as rising temperatures and wind from the sea cleared up pollution levels.

Mumbai’s air quality improved on Monday. (HT FILE)

Mumbai recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI)—a pollution measuring indicator—of 115 on Monday, significantly down from 186 on Sunday. The AQI was in the 'moderate' category. Before this, the city’s lowest AQI was 156 (moderate) on January 19.

The AQI was calculated by the System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) as the average of indices recorded across 10 locations in the city and suburbs. 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 10 locations measured, only Andheri recorded poor quality air with an AQI of 208. Malad recorded an AQI of 173 and Navi Mumbai recorded 157 but both were in the moderate category.

On September 4, 2019, Mumbai recorded its all-time best AQI of 12 since SAFAR began measuring air quality in June 2015. Last year on June 30, the city equalled its best AQI of 12.

“Temperatures have been on the rise for some time now, bringing down pollution levels. Clean winds from the ocean have further improved the air quality in Mumbai. It is expected to remain in the moderate category for the next two days,” said a SAFAR spokesperson.

Meanwhile, minimum temperatures increased slightly. At the Colaba station of the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), minimum temperature of 21.2 degrees Celsius was recorded, up from Sunday’s 20.5 degrees Celsius and a degree above normal. At Santacruz, the minimum temperature was up from Sunday’s 19.4 degrees Celsius to 20.2 degrees Celsius, 2 degrees above normal.

The maximum temperature at Colaba was 29.4 degrees Celsius, at par with normal. At Santacruz, the maximum temperature was 29.9 degrees Celsius, a degree below normal.