‘Air quality on Diwali best in Mumbai since 2015’

The city recorded its best air quality in five years and the best in western India during Diwali 2019 despite moderate fireworks on Sunday and Monday, the System

The city recorded its best air quality in five years and the best in western India during Diwali 2019 despite moderate fireworks on Sunday and Monday, the System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) said.

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Gufran Beig, project director, SAFAR said, “The air quality during 2019 Diwali period was one of the best in whole of western India, particularly in Pune and Mumbai, as compared to past five years. This was mainly due to widespread rain in Pune and Mumbai regions due to the cyclone Kyarr in the Arabian Sea during preceding days to Diwali.” The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) said that rather than a drop in external emissions, weather factors helped clear the air along the west coast.

On Sunday, the air quality index (AQI) increased from 30 (good) during the day to 87 (satisfactory) by the evening. Similarly, on Monday, the AQI during the day was 76 (satisfactory) and increased to 96 (satisfactory) by the evening.

The AQI entered the ‘moderate’ category on Tuesday morning to 101 and dropped back to ‘satisfactory’ levels by the evening to 92. SAFAR categorises AQI levels from 0-50 as good, 51-100 satisfactory, 101-200 as moderate, 201-300 is poor, 301-400 is very poor, and above 401 is severe.

The concentration of PM2.5 - fine particulate matter that can enter deep into the lungs and cause health ailments – was 35 microgrammes per cubic metre (µg/m3) on Sunday (Diwali) and 51 µg/m3 on Monday (day after Diwali), both well below the safe limit of 60 µg/m3 for 24 hours for PM2.5 pollutant.

According to a SAFAR, the most polluted areas in the city were Nerul in Navi Mumbai and Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC). Navi Mumbai recorded an AQI of 275 on Sunday and 308 on Monday respectively. BKC recorded an AQI of 112 (moderate) on Sunday and 141 (moderate) on Monday.