Trial runs begin at Bandra to fix Mumbai’s air- quality index

MUMBAI: Trials to fix the air quality index (AQI) — a pollution measuring indicator used worldwide — for the city have started. The AQI has been created by the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) for the first time in the city.

The AQI uses 24-hour averages of pollutants having the most adverse effect on human health such as sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxide ( NO x), carbon monoxide (CO), ozone (O3), and particulate matter (PM 2.5 and PM 10), which can be inhaled into the lungs.

Third major pollutants, gives a certain weightage to the constituents and arrives at a figure. The index has six categories of pollution levels — from ‘good’ to ‘severe’ — and the six bands are colour-coded to visually express the level of severity.

On April 28, the number was 79, which means ‘good’ or having

The creation of an AQI is part of the Centre’s plan to create a national index, the first phase of which was launched by the Prime Minister on April 6. Mumbai is part of the second phase that will also include Pune and Solapur. The MPCB collects data from its Bandra monitoring station to create the index.

VM Mot g hare, joint director, air pollution control, MPCB said, “After a recent meeting with members of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in Delhi, we will host a daily air quality index on our website from places like Bandra [Mumbai], Chandrapur, Solapur and Karve Road [Pune] on a trial basis.”