The city experienced less pollution ahead of winter this year compared to the previous year when there was less traffic on road due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The air quality index (AQI) of Patna has drastically improved by 79 notches – from ‘poor’ zone at 205 to ‘moderate’ zone at 129 – in the last 24 hours, as per the bulletin of theCentral Pollution Control Board(CPCB). When compared to other major cities in Indo-Gangetic plains, Patna was at the third position in improved air quality after Kolkata (115) and Dehradun (76). The other major cities like Delhi recordedAQIof 424, Kota 260, Lucknow 197 and Chandigarh 185.
The improved Environment was largely due to favourable weather conditions, rise in temperature, less traffic movement owing to Chhath festival and various measures taken under the Clean Air Action Plan.
An AQI between zero and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51 and 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 and 200 ‘moderate’, 201 and 300 ‘poor’, 301 and 400 ‘very poor’, and 401 and 500 ‘severe’. A ‘moderate’ AQI essentially means breathing discomfort will be experienced by the people having lung, asthma and heart diseases.