Mumbai records Feb’s fifth worst AQI at 130; ‘moderate’ as per CPCB’s SAMEER app

MUMBAI: Mumbai on Friday recorded its fifth highest Air Quality Index (AQI) of February at 130, categorised as ‘moderate’ by the Central Pollution Control Board’s SAMEER app.This was recorded in the evening based on data collected from various monitoring stations across the city, the CPCB-run official AQI monitoring application showed.Earlier this month, AQI had touched 141 and 140 on February 2 and 3, respectively, followed by 134 on February 4 and February 15.Except on February 10, 18 and 19, when the AQI remained below 100, the index has largely stayed in three digits through the month, the SAMEER app data showed.Among prominent locations, Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), the city’s key business district, recorded an AQI of 172.Another monitoring device set up by the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board in the BKC area showed a reading of 140, while neighbouring Kurla, a densely populated locality, registered 160.Deonar, known for its dumping ground and adjoining slum pockets, recorded 161. The worst reading in the city was reported from Worli, where the AQI stood at 256, placing it in the ‘poor’ category.The SAMEER app data further revealed that in January, there were eight days when the AQI remained below 100.However, on January 22 and January 26, the AQI rose to 133, the highest level recorded during the winter season.As per the CPCB’s classification, an AQI of up to 100 is considered ‘satisfactory’, though it may cause minor breathing discomfort to sensitive individuals.An AQI between 101 and 200 falls in the ‘moderate’ category and may lead to breathing discomfort among people with lung disorders, asthma and heart diseases.The SAMEER app cautioned that sustained high AQI levels could aggravate respiratory conditions and cause breathing discomfort, particularly among vulnerable groups, including those suffering from asthma, lung ailments and cardiovascular diseases.