Page 32 - Air Quality Index

Urgent action needed for improving air in South-Asian countries: ICIMOD

Deteriorating air quality and hazardous levels of particulate matter (PM) in several South Asian countries, including India and Nepal, poses a severe risk to human health and must be addressed urgently, a Kathmandu-based intergovernmental knowledge centre warned on Wednesday. The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) is a knowledge and learning centre working on behalf of the people of the Hindu Kush Himalaya region and its eight regional member countries Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan. In a statement released on Wednesday, the organisation pointed to recent data and expressed concern about the rising PM levels. It added that an increase in PM level poses a severe risk to human health, The Kathmandu Post newspaper reported. Doctors blame the worsening air quality as the main culprit for the rising number of patients suffering from respiratory illness, the report said. Air pollution, known to cause various ...

India eighth most polluted country in the world; Lahore most polluted city

Bhiwadi, located on the outskirts of Delhi, was ranked among the two most polluted cities in the world. Delhi followed it closely behind

39 Indian cities among world's 50 most polluted: Swiss firm report

The Swiss firm IQAir in its 'World Air Quality Report' released on Tuesday ranked India the world's eighth most polluted country in 2022, dropping from fifth place the previous year

Kerala govt to install air quality monitoring devices at hospitals in Kochi

The Kerala government has decided to install air quality monitoring devices in select hospitals of the coastal city, which is reeling under toxic haze from the fire at the Brahmapuram waste treatment plant. State Health Minister Veena George said installing the air quality monitoring devices will help identify the possibility of people getting sick due to the worsening air quality. "The devices will help identify the possibility of people falling sick and ensure preventive measures to be taken well in advance," George said in a release. Meanwhile, the Ernakulam district administration and the State Disaster Management Authority has held an online discussion on the fire situation with the New York Fire Safety Department Deputy Chief, George Healy. During the meet, Haley urged the administration to remain cautious as there are chances that fire may breakout again even after it appears to have been doused, the district administration said in a statement. The New York Fire safety offi

Stage-I of GRAP revoked as overall Air Quality Index of Delhi improves

In view of improvement in the overall AQI of Delhi and also considering the meteorological and weather forecasts, authorities decided to revoke the orders under Stage-I of GRAP

Delhi's AQI remains in 'very poor' category for third consecutive day

Both the major pollutants PM 2.5 and PM 10 were recorded at 304 in the very poor category and 183 at moderate category in the city on Monday morning

CAQM invokes restriction under GRAP-II as Delhi's air quality deteriorates

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Thursday invoked restrictions, including a ban on diesel generator sets, under Stage II of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in view of an increase in air pollution levels in Delhi. The sub-committee responsible for invoking actions under GRAP took stock of the situation at a meeting as Delhi's 24-hour average air quality index rose to 270 on Thursday. The India Meteorological Department and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology told it that the AQI is expected to reach the "very poor" category in the coming days. Considering this, the panel decided that all actions under Stage II of GRAP should be implemented with immediate effect, including a ban on the non-essential use of diesel generator sets and the use of coal and firewood in tandoors in hotels, restaurants and open eateries. GRAP is a set of anti-air pollution measures followed in the capital and its vicinity according to the severity of the situation. It ...

Air quality worsening in India's cleanest city Indore, say experts

Indore may have earned the prestigious tag of being the cleanest city India, but its air quality is worsening due to rapid development in the transport, construction and industrial sectors, said experts on Wednesday stressing the need for intensifying efforts to control the situation. As per the data shared by the Central Pollution Control Board, the air quality of Indore on Wednesday was moderate, which can cause breathing discomfort to people with lungs, asthma and heart diseases. Indore has been selected by Clean Air Catalyst, a global alliance working to improve air quality, apart from Jakarta (Indonesia) and Nairobi (Kenya) for one of its projects. As part of the project, three air pollution monitoring stations have been set up in Indore to record data on pollutants like fine particulate matter or PM2.5, carbon monoxide and black carbon, an official of the Clean Air Catalyst said. Indore is not among the most polluted cities in the world, but it is not even one of the cleanest

Strong surface winds forecast, min temperature at 8.6 deg Celsius in Delhi

The mercury settled at 8.6 degrees Celsius in Delhi on Tuesday morning, two notches below normal, even as strong surface winds have been forecast for later in the day. The relative humidity was recorded at 56 per cent. Delhi on Monday recorded a minimum temperature of 8.7 degrees Celsius, two notches below normal. The national capital registered a high of 23.2 degrees Celsius, according to India Meteorological Department data. The maximum temperature on Tuesday is likely to settle at 25 degrees Celsius. The weatherman has predicted strong surface winds during the daytime. On Monday, Delhi logged a 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 135, the lowest since October 13, owing to chilly winds that dispersed pollutants as they swept through the city. On Tuesday, the AQI stood at 145 at 9 am, according to Central Pollution Control Board data.

Delhi govt succeeds in identifying air pollution sources in real-time: CM

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday said the Delhi government's attempt to identify sources of air pollution on a real-time basis has started showing results. Referring to a media report that said pollution levels in Delhi's Anand Vihar improved significantly after interventions by the environment department in November 2022, Kejriwal said the Delhi government has been using the "best technology" and "best brains" for it. Taking to Twitter, he said, "Our latest attempt to identify sources of pollution on a realtime basis has started showing results. Such an exercise is happening for the first time in India. We are using the best technology and the best brains." Earlier, the Economic Survey for 2022-23 that was tabled in Parliament on January 31 said the number of good, satisfactory and moderate days increased to 197 in 2021 as compared to 108 in 2016. It further said that the number of poor, very poor and severe days reduced to 168 in 2021 as compared to 246 in 2016. An AQI .

No 'good' days for Delhi air in Jan as winter makes pollution worse

Average monthly AQI at 'very poor' category, city eases graded action plan

Delhi records a minimum of 8.3 degrees Celsius; AQI remains 'moderate'

Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 8.3 degrees Celsius, normal for this time of the year, on Thursday, the India Meteorological Department said. The relative humidity in the city at 8.30 am was recorded at 83 per cent. The weatherman has forecast mainly clear sky during the day with the maximum temperature likely to settle around 22 degrees Celsius. The air quality index (AQI) was recorded at 187 at 9 am, which is in the moderate category. An AQI between 201 and 300 is considered poor, 301 and 400 very poor, and 401 and 500 severe.

Delhi records minimum temperature of 8.6 degrees Celsius, AQI of 156

Delhiites woke up to a windy Wednesday morning with the minimum temperature settling at 8.6 degrees Celsius, normal for this time of the year. The air quality index (AQI) was recorded at 156, which is in the moderate category. The relative humidity at 8.30 am was recorded at 100 per cent. The weatherman has forecast strong surface winds during day time with the maximum temperature likely to settle around 20 degrees Celsius.

Delhi records minimum temperature at 6.1 degree Celcius; air quality poor

Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 6.1 degrees Celsius, three notches below the normal, the India Meteorological Department said on Saturday. The maximum temperature in the city is expected to settle at around 22 degrees Celsius. The weatherman has forecast mainly clear skies during the day and becoming partly cloudy towards evening or night. The humidity was recorded at 89 per cent at 8:30 am. The city's air quality index (AQI) stood at 224 at 9 am, which was in the poor category, officials said. An AQI between 201 and 300 is considered poor, 301 and 400 very poor, and 401 and 500 severe.

Even brief exposure to air pollution may impair brain function: Study

Just two hours of exposure to air pollution may impair human brain function, according to a study. The researchers found that exposure to diesel exhaust for just two hours causes a decrease in the brain's functional connectivity - a measure of how different areas of the brain interact and communicate with each other. The study, published in the journal Environmental Health, provides the first evidence in humans, from a controlled experiment, of altered brain network connectivity induced by air pollution. "For many decades, scientists thought the brain may be protected from the harmful effects of air pollution, said senior study author Chris Carlsten, a professor at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Canada. "This study, which is the first of its kind in the world, provides fresh evidence supporting a connection between air pollution and cognition, Carlsten said. The researchers briefly exposed 25 healthy adults to diesel exhaust and filtered air at different times in a ..

Explainer: What does an AQI of 450 mean? Is it just a winter thing?

At 450, the concentration of pollutants in the air "affects healthy people and seriously impacts those with existing diseases"

Air quality improves marginally in Delhi; AQI at 312 but smog persists

The improvement was slight but significant as the AQI was in the 'severe' category on Wednesday, at 421

Delhi air quality remains in 'severe' category with an overall AQI at 421

Delhi air quality of the national capital continued to be "severe" on Wednesday with an overall Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 421

Cities choking still as India's clean air plan spends Rs 6897 cr in 4 yrs

Srinagar and Kohima among cleanest in country; Delhi most polluted city in 2022

Delhi's overall AQI worsens due to dense fog, Stage III of GRAP re-imposed

Index spikes unexpectedly to touched 400, inadequate sunlight, dip in temperature hasten deterioration