Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The day following Diwali witnessed a troubling spike in air pollution levels across India every year. This year, Madhya Pradesh was highly-affected, with AQI shooting above 300-mark (categorised 'very poor') across 10 cities. Similarly, air levels surpassed a 'worrying' 400-mark in two cities, indicating a ‘severe’ condition.
Cities crossing 400
The data released by Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board (MPPCB) shows Gwalior's DD Nagar touching an AQI level of 410, followed by Indore's Chhoti Gwaltoli at 404. AQI levels above 400 indicate extreme pollution, making the air hazardous to breathe.
On the contrary, AQI stood at a healthy 52 mark in Indore's Vijay Nagar area.
FP Photo
Cities crossing 300
The cities crossing the 300 mark and falling into the category of ‘very poor’ air quality include Bhopal’s Paryavaran Parisar (301), Dewas’s Bhopal Chauraha (333), Gwalior’s Maharaj Bada (339), Jabalpur’s Marhatal (310), Jabalpur’s Suhagi (336), Khandwa’s Lok Seva Kendra (322), Ratlam’s Shathri Nagar (363) and Ujjain’s Mahakaleshwar Temple (327).
On the contrary, there are also 9 cities in the central state which maintained their air quality index and remained in the ‘Satisfactory’ category i.e. between 51-100.
Healthy Cities below 100-level
The cities left with breathable air in Madhya Pradesh are-- Anupur’s Collectorate area (65), Damoh’s Shrivastav Colony (64), Indore’s Vijay Nagar (52), Indore’s Airport area (77), Indore’s Pologround area (66), Katni’s Regional Office (65), Khargone’s Nagar Palika (85), Maihar’s Sharda Temple (57) and Pithampur’s Sector-2 Industrial area (79).
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How to read AQI?
The Air Quality Index (AQI) is measured based on the concentration of specific pollutants in the air like:
Particulate Matter (PM2.5 and PM10)
Nitrogen Dioxide (NO₂)
Sulfur Dioxide (SO₂)
Carbon Monoxide (CO)
Ozone (O₃)
Ammonia (NH₃)
Lead (Pb)
Each pollutant has its own standards, and the overall AQI is determined by the highest value of any one of these pollutants.
AQI Index and it's impact on health:
Check the AQI of your citiy here:
https://erc.mp.gov.in/EnvAlert/AQI
(Note: The link shoes the real time data. Hence, it is subject to variations.)
