AQI in major Indian cities: How they perform on Air Quality Index

New Delhi: People in Delhi and NCR woke up to the worst morning ever, with AQI reaching the ‘Severe Plus’ category. The smog in Delhi-NCR is toxic and can lead to serious health issues. The AQI in Delhi crossed the 900 mark, and according to officials, the visibility in areas like Safdarjung airport was 150 metres. While there are cities in India where the air is ‘hazardous’ right now, there are also cities where the AQI is ‘Good’ or ‘Moderate’. In this article, let us compare major cities’ Air Quality Index (AQI). The Air Quality Index data is from November 18, 2024, till 4 pm (average of past 24 hours).

Cities with ‘Severe’ AQI

Cities with ‘Good’ AQI

Cities with ‘Moderate’ AQI

Cities with ‘Very Poor’ AQI

Cities with ‘Poor’ AQI

Source of data: Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) (till 4pm, November 18: average of 24 hours)

Delhi-NCR Pollution:

Delhi’s air quality is getting worse. On Monday evening, the Air Quality Index (AQI) at several monitoring stations reached nearly 500, classified as “severe plus”. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) reported these levels at 4 pm: Anand Vihar—500, Vivek Vihar—498, and Chandni Chowk—480.

Rising pollution affects daily life in the city. In response, emergency measures are in place. Public transport is encouraged under Stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). Trucks and all BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers are banned from entering the Delhi-NCR region.

The pollution is primarily due to stubble burning in nearby states like Punjab, which increases particulate matter in the air. Conditions are expected to worsen with the arrival of winter.

Bengaluru Pollution:

The AQI in Bengaluru is currently in the ‘Moderate’ category, though it varies occasionally. According to media reports, the air quality is better in this Karnataka city, though urbanisation and traffic contribute to rising pollution levels. Bengaluru’s green cover helps mitigate the issue.

Mumbai Pollution:

Mumbai’s air quality can become “very poor”, with an AQI between 301 and 400. However, the current AQI of Mumbai is 144, which is in the ‘Moderate’ category.

Pollution in Mumbai comes from:

1. Development projects

2. Industrial activity

3. Climate change

Air pollution in cities like Aizawl, Madurai, Thrissur, Thanjavur and Coimbatore is under the ‘Good’ category. Aizawl has excellent air quality. The main pollutant in the city is PM10, but the pollution levels are much lower than those in Delhi and other northern cities.

 Delhi’s air quality worsened on Monday, with areas like Dwarka, Mundka, and Najafgarh recording a maximum AQI of 500 in the afternoon. Read on to compare other cities’ AQI to Delhi-NCR.   knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge