Air Quality: Mumbai Records Worst Pollution Levels in February in Four Years, Says Report

Mumbai recorded its worst air quality in four years in February, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board. The financial capital has previously ranked the second most polluted city in the world after New Delhi.

According to reports, Mumbai registered eight days with “poor” air between February 1 and 16. In comparison, Maharashtra’s capital recorded only two days each with ‘poor’ AQI during the same period in 2022 and 2021 and none in 2020, according to an Indian Express article.

Mumbai also recorded the highest number of days with ‘poor’ and ‘very poor’ air between November 2022 and January 2023.

An AQI between 201 and 300 is considered poor, 301 and 400 very poor, and 401 and 500 severe.

Pollutants PM 10 (presence of particles with diameter less than 10 micrometres) and PM 2.5 were found to be the major pollutants in Mumbai. PM 2.5 are tiny particulate matter less than 2.5 microns in diameter and can enter deep into the lungs and even the bloodstream.

Experts said that the recent worsening of air quality in Mumbai was largely due to two main factors: real estate and infrastructure work and transport. “Apart from vehicular combustion, heavy traffic is also responsible for stirring up settled road dust,” the report added.

Low temperatures in winter were also cited as a possible reason behind the decrease in air quality.

This is the second such report on deteriorating air quality in Mumbai region this week.

According to a report by IQAir, a Swiss company that tracks global air quality, Mumbai ranked the second most polluted city in the world between January 29 and February 8. As per the report, Mumbai stood in 10th position on January 29 in IQAir rankings. It reached the top position on February 2 before coming down in the subsequent days and then climbed again to the second rank on February 8.

Experts have attributed the rise in pollution levels to the dust and smoke coming from vehicles and construction activities.

Last week, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) announced multiple steps to reduce air pollution in the city and featured them in its civic budget this year. The BMC developed the ‘Air Pollution Mitigation Action Plan’ (APMAP) to combat air pollution and allocated Rs 25 crore to the policy in the recent budget.

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