First rain makes Mumbai’s air cleaner than Singapore’s

Mumbai city news: Pollutant measuring indicator, air quality index (AQI, was 48 on Friday, which falls under the ‘good’ category

Overnight showers not only brought down temperatures in Mumbai, but also cleared the air you breathe.

A boy enjoys the rain at Shivaji Park on Friday. (Pratik Chorge/HT Photo)

The pollutant measuring indicator — air quality index (AQI) — was 48 on Friday, which falls under the ‘good’ category and was the cleanest air day for the city in 2017 so far. Singapore had an AQI of 55. An AQI of 49 (good) has been predicted for Saturday. The System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) said AQI levels between 0-50 is ‘good’, 51-100 is ‘satisfactory’, 101- 200 ‘moderate’.

Pollution levels of particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), which are small pollutants 2.5 micron to 10 micron in size can enter the respiratory system are the primary cause of pollution problems in Mumbai. As against a safe limit of 60 microgrammes per cubic metre (µg/m3) for PM2.5, Mumbai recorded 28µg/m3. For PM10 the safe limit is 100µg/m3, and the city recorded 46µg/m3.

READ: First showers hit Mumbai, complaints of traffic snarls, water-logging pour in

Officials from SAFAR, which records the AQI levels at 10 locations in the city said Mumbai can expect ‘good’ air quality for the next four months. “As there is a prediction of a normal monsoon, the financial capital can expect relief from pollution till September,” said Gufran Beig, director, SAFAR. “The rain washes away pollutants from the earth’s surface, while strong winds won’t allow pollutants to settle.”