Air you breathe is less polluted

Air pollution levels in the city between mid-November and mid-December have dipped compared to last year.

Air pollution levels in the city between mid-November and mid-December have dipped compared to last year.

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Pollution levels recorded at the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) station at Sion, which has dense traffic, show that the average levels for respiratory suspended particulate matter (RSPM) and nitrogen oxide (NOx) have dropped. At the MPCB station in Bandra, while the RSPM level has dropped, the level of NOx has gone up marginally.

While the RSPM level continues to exceed the permissible limit, the level of NOx in the air has dipped below the permissible level. Both pollutants are known to cause respiratory disorders. High concentration of lead in RSPM can cause neurological impairment.

“This year, we made sure that construction sites, which are a big source of air pollution, conducted environmental impact assessments before starting work,” said an MPCB official.

Confirming a “significant drop” in the air pollution levels in the city, Indrani Gupta, from the air quality department of the National Environmental Engineering and Research Institute (NEERI), said that the data would be analysed by the end of the month.