Least polluted January 1 in three years, but Mumbai’s air quality still ‘poor’

Bandra Kurla Complex, Colaba and Mazgaon had the worst air quality in the city on Monday.

While the air quality in the city continued to be in ‘poor’ category on Monday, with the light haze across the city skyline, pollution levels were better than any New Year’s Day in the last three years.

On Monday, the AQI was 220 during the day that further fell to 216 by evening. (Representational Image)

After the System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) began monitoring air quality in Mumbai from June 2015, the first day of 2016 and 2017 saw the air quality index (AQI) at 300 and 323, both in the ‘very poor’ category.

AQI levels for PM2.5 pollutant - small pollutant particles that can easily enter the lungs and cause ailments - between 0-50 is good, 51-100 is satisfactory, 101-200 is moderate, 201-300 is poor, 301-400 is very poor, and 400 above is severe.

On Monday, the AQI was 220 during the day that further fell to 216 by evening. Bandra Kurla Complex, Colaba and Mazgaon had the worst air quality in the city on Monday.

On Monday, Delhi recorded the country’s worst air quality, with an AQI of 411 under the ‘severe’ category while Ahmedabad and Pune recorded 156 and 164, both falling under the ‘moderate’ category. SAFAR estimated pollution levels to further decline on Tuesday and pegged AQI levels at 205 (poor).

He added that similar air quality is expected for another day or two, and as temperatures drop further, pollution levels are expected to rise.

The weather bureau predicted a clear sky for Tuesday with similar temperatures recorded on Monday.