Mumbai’s AQI deteriorates ahead of Diwali as layer of smog engulfs city’s skyline
The CPCB dashboard showed that of the 22 AQI monitoring stations in Mumbai, 16 recorded 'moderate' AQI, four recorded 'satisfactory' AQI, while one each recorded 'poor' and 'good' AQI.
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According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the city's overall AQI stood at 134 on Sunday morning.Ahead of Diwali, Mumbai’s air quality index (AQI) has deteriorated. For the third day in a row, the city continued to record ‘moderate’ AQI readings, which led to a thick blanket of smog engulfing the city’s skyline. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the city’s overall AQI stood at 134 on Sunday morning.
Furthermore, the CPCB dashboard also showed that of the 22 AQI monitoring stations in Mumbai, 16 recorded ‘moderate’ AQI, four recorded ‘satisfactory’ AQI, while one each recorded ‘poor’ and ‘good’ AQI. Dr Gufran Beig, chair-professor of the National Institute of Advance Sciences (NIAS), said Mumbai’s AQI worsened due to the slowdown in wind movement.
“At present, the city is undergoing a seasonal shift; monsoon withdrawal took place some time ago, and the wind reversal process has slowed. Therefore, the frequency at which sea breezes should replace land breezes has been delayed, due to which land breezes consisting of particulate matter being trapped in the city’s atmosphere, leading to the deterioration of air,” Beig told The Indian Express.
He also said that Mumbai’s AQI may get worse in the days to come as there is a possibility of a La-Nina situation, which refers to a weather phenomenon that occurs when ocean surface temperatures cool down.
“In 2022, Mumbai recorded worse AQI, majorly due to a La-Nina situation. According to a prediction made by the World Meteorology Organisation (WMO), there is a 55 per cent chance of La-Nina settling in between November, so if that happens, Mumbai’s AQI may continue to worsen” Beig said.
Malad West in the western suburbs has been the worst affected, with AQI readings recorded at 214, followed by 200 in Byculla, 194 in Deonar, 183 in Borivali, 160 in Mazgaon, 155 in Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC), 149 in Worli and 140 in Chembur, among others.
Borivali (East), the area housing the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), recorded a good AQI of 42, followed by 80 in Powai, 87 in Mulund, and 100 in Kandivali.
AQI readings are categorised as follows: 0-50 is good, 51-100 is satisfactory, 101-200 is moderate, 201-300 is poor, 301-400 is very poor, and over 400 is severe.
Meanwhile, according to the India Meteorology Department (IMD), the Santacruz observatory recorded a minimum (night) temperature of 22.5 degrees Celsius on Sunday, while the coastal observatory at Colaba recorded 25.2 degrees Celsius.
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