Navi Mumbai sees worst air quality of season

Mumbai woke up to a hazy morning on Tuesday. Ganesh Shirsekar

Navi Mumbai witnessed the worst air quality levels in the city on Tuesday, with very poor levels of PM2.5 and PM10. According to data collected by the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR) while PM10 levels was recorded at 340 microgram per cubic meter, PM2.5 in the air was at 390 microgram per cubic metre. According to SAFAR officials, the air quality levels in Navi Mumbai on Tuesday were the worst of the season.

“The particulate matter in the air is generally high in winter, but on Tuesday, it was the highest of the season. Several factors lead to the poor air quality in Navi Mumbai. It has several industrial areas around it. Also, the pollution created in nearby hill stations like Lonavla also settles in the city. The land breeze is blowing from the hills towards the land that brings the pollutants to it,” said Dr Gufran Beig, SAFAR project director.

Dr Beig cautioned that the situation would get only worse with winter approaching. The SAFAR website advises people to stay indoors during the early morning and after sunset. It also suggests, “If the room has windows, close them. If the air-conditioner provides a fresh air intake option, keep that closed. Avoid burning of wood, candles or incense. Keep the room clean — don’t vacuum. Do wet mopping to reduce dust.”

Environmentalists from Navi Mumbai pointed to the presence of increased truck traffic in the area apart from construction activity for the increased pollution.  “The Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) market, Asia’s largest market, has pulled in a huge truck traffic in the area. The number of vehicles have increased above estimates here and there is no check on their emissions. Apart from that the industrial pollution and the dust created due to construction activity further increase the pollution levels. While there is a lot of greenery around, the dust blocks the pores on the leaves and affect their breathing reducing their efficacy,” said B N Kumar, environmentalist and resident of Navi Mumbai.

Meanwhile, the other nine air quality monitoring centres in the city also recorded moderate pollution levels.