E-Paper
‘Holika Dahan’: Poor air quality over parts of Pune
On Friday evening, the AQI was 176 which was on the upper end of moderate. Shivajinagar reported AQI at 266 which was in the poor category. AQI at Hadapsar was 252 which was also poor. Bhosari also reported AQI at 201 on Friday evening
Except Shivajinagar area that reported poor air quality, other city areas recorded on the higher side of moderate, bordering with poor air quality, as ‘Holika Dahan’ was performed on Thursday night.
The day temperature reached a new high with mercury touching 39 degrees Celsius at Shivajinagar on Thursday and Friday, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
According to System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (Safar) officials, the air quality index (AQI) of Pune indicated upper air quality on Friday.
“The AQI is likely to be on the lower end of poor or upper end of moderate till March 20. On Friday evening, the AQI was 176 which was on the upper end of moderate. Shivajinagar reported AQI at 266 which was in the poor category. AQI at Hadapsar was 252 which was also poor. Bhosari also reported AQI at 201 on Friday evening,” said Safar officials.
On Thursday evening, many parts of the city reported AQI on the higher side of the moderate.
Pune is reporting warmer days in March. On Thursday, the day temperature reported was 39.1 degrees Celsius and 39 degrees Celsius the next day at Shivajinagar.
Anupam Kashyapi, head of weather forecasting department, IMD Pune, said that the city has been seeing mercury near to 40 degrees Celsius in the past few days.
“Till March 19, clear sky is likely in Pune city. There is an Interaction of winds which may result in partly cloudy skies after March 19. As per the forecast, gradual drop in maximum temperature is likely in the next few days,” said Kashyapi, adding that confluence of winds and chunks of rainfall are likely over Konkan and Goa on March 19 and March 20.
“Heat wave conditions are likely over Vidarbha till March 20. And temperature is likely to be over 40 in parts of Vidarbha. Other subdivisions of Maharashtra, that is central Maharashtra, Marathwada and Konkan and Goa, are likely to experience dry weather in the next few days,” he said.
