Mumbai: Air pollution dropped in past year but still above safe levels

Air pollution in Mumbai remains a serious concern with PM 10 — the atmospheric particulate matter that has a diameter of less than 10 micrometres — being one and a half times above the safe limit. The findings are part of the BMC’s annual Environment Status Report (ESR) of 2020-21.

The data from nine air quality monitoring stations under the System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR) was analysed between April 2020 and March 2021.

It shows the annual average PM 10 concentration was found to be 91 µg/m3 (micrograms/cubic metre). This is 1.5 times more than the daily safe limit of 60ug/m3 — the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) standard. Similarly, annual average PM 2.5 concentration is 46 µg/m3, which is above the limit prescribed by WHO. As per the CPCB standards, PM 2.5 concentration of 40 µg/m should be maintained.