Low temperatures lead to ‘consistently poor’ air quality

In December-January, the concentration of PM2.5 varied from 43 µg/m3 to 114 µg/m3.

3 min readPuneJan 14, 2015 03:19 AM IST

This year, Pune witnessed the most polluted winter with air quality, in terms of particulate pollution, found to be consistently poor.

The persistent chill has led to the highest-ever pollution levels being registered by the System of Air Quality Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) scientists. While the air quality generally deteriorates in winter, particulate matter pollution reached alarming levels in December-January.

This year, Pune witnessed the most polluted winter with air quality, in terms of particulate pollution, found to be consistently poor, Dr Gufran Beig, project director, SAFAR, told The Indian Express.

Particulate matter less than 10 microns in size is classified as PM10. Particles larger in size are filtered out in the upper respiratory track, but quite a large part of PM10 particles can enter the lungs. Particles that are less than 2.5 microns in size are considered even more dangerous as these can penetrate deeper into the lungs. Particles smaller than these can even enter the blood stream.

The analysis of PM2.5 data for December-January shows, out of 44 days, air quality was in the ‘poor’ category for 14 days and it was ‘moderate’ for 28 days.

Almost for the entire period, it exceeded the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) of 60 µg/m3, Neha Parkhi, senior programme officer of SAFAR said.

In December and January, the concentration of PM2.5 varied from 43 µg/m3 to 114 µg/m3. The maximum recorded concentration was 114 µg/m3 — much higher than the NAAQS, creating alarming conditions for sensitive group of people including children active outdoors and old persons with depressed immune system.

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The condition is also harmful for people suffering from asthma or any other respiratory diseases.

Data monitored at 10 different locations shows that air quality was ‘poor’ at Hadapsar and Manjri. At Shivajinagar and Katraj, higher levels of PM2.5 were recorded, whereas Pashan, Lohegaon, Nigdi and Alandi were comparatively cleaner. Lower temperatures as compared to last year can be one of the reasons for these high levels of particulate matter.

Cooler temperature prevented dispersal of pollutants and trapped emissions near the ground, Parkhi said.
Such high concentration of PM2.5 in regions could not be neglected and needed to be addressed on priority basis, Beig said.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More

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