Indore (Madhya Pradesh). The day after Diwali, the air quality index (AQI) in Indore, the country’s cleanest city, crossed the level of 400, which indicates that the air quality has reached the “severe” category. According to State Pollution Control Board data, the AQI in Chhoti Gwaltoli area of the city was measured at 404 at 12 noon on Friday, while the major pollutant PM 2.5 was recorded at an average of 255.26. At present the average level of PM 10 in the city was 318.08. Chhoti Gwaltoli is a densely populated area of the city where there is a large number of vehicular traffic.
Dr. Dilip Vaghela, an expert in environmental matters and former official of the State Pollution Control Board, told PTI, “The vigorous Diwali fireworks started in the city from Thursday morning and continued till late night. Firecrackers were burst in many areas on Friday also. This is the main reason for the air quality in the city reaching the severe category.” According to the Meteorological Department, the wind speed in the city was recorded at zero kilometer per hour at 08:30 am on Friday.
Vaghela said that due to calm winds, the pollutants could not scatter here and there and settled at one place, thereby worsening the air quality in the city. According to a study by “Clean Air Catalyst”, a global alliance working to improve air quality, on a normal day, vehicular pollution and road dust contribute 70 percent of the total air quality in cities. . According to the scale decided by the Meteorological Department, AQI between zero to 50 is good, 51 to 100 is satisfactory, 101 to 200 is moderate, 201 to 300 is poor, 301 to 400 is very poor and 401 to 500 is considered bad. Is considered serious.
