As hazy skies are back to haunt the state capital, the city’s air quality dipped to the “moderate” category, which causes breathing discomfort to people with lungs, asthma and heart diseases, with a steady reduction in ambient temperature and lack of rain.
After a few months of blue skies and clean air quality index (AQI), PM 2.5 pollutants stood at 144, which was 88 barely one week ago, the national air quality index of the Central Pollution Control Board stated.
The prominent pollutant is PM2.5 and the peak level of PM2.5, tiny particulate matter of diameter 2.5 microns or less than 2.5 microns – that can enter deep into the lungs – was 271 on Wednesday morning(10 am) contrary to the Average 144 during the day.
An AQI between 0-50 is considered “good”, 51-100 “satisfactory”, 101-200 “moderate”, 201-300 “poor”, 301-400 “very poor”, and 401-500 “severe”. Above 500 AQI is “severe-plus emergency” category.
The variation in AQI values is primarily due to variation in PM 2.5 values, which are seasonal weather characteristics.
The air quality may further deteriorate in the coming days due to the bursting of crackers as every year,Diwalinight pushes the city’s ambient air to dangerous levels which lead to winter pollution.
Last year, Guwahati’s air quality index had dipped to “severe” category with bursting of firecrackers on Diwali and a day after, despite a “complete ban” by the authorities. The average air quality index in Guwahati was 454 – the worst in the last season.