THANE: The
slight showers that the city had witnessed on Wednesday and Thursday had brought the
respirable solid particulate matter (
RSPM) down by 15 to 20g/m, but the overall pollution levels in the atmosphere shot up once again on Saturday.
After weeks of breathing in air filled with vehicular pollutants and construction dust particles, residents had finally got some respite on Wednesday and Thursday as the slight showers and cloudy skies had washed down quite a bit of respirable particulate matter from the atmosphere.
While the permissible RSPM limit in the air is 100g/m3, the levels at which it is hovering around is 180g/m3. On Wednesday, it had gone down to 160g/m3, which despite the 11% drop was still above the permissible limits.
However, as the skies cleared and the temperatures went back to normal by late Friday, the
RSPM levels shot up to 182.4g/m3.
“While the slight rain and strong wind had decreased the RSPM levels, vehicles were continuously emitting pollutants due to which the levels didn’t fall below the
permissible limit. However, once the cloud cover was cleared, the dust particles in the air moved upwards in the atmosphere,” said a civic official.
Medical experts, who believe that the pollution level is going to remain constant if not get worse in the coming months, have urged citizens to take necessary precautions.
“We have been receiving dozens of cases of lung ailments, fungal infections and chronic coughs lately; a lot of which is because of the dust particles in the air. Citizens need to start boosting their immunity by having food rich in vitamins, they should keep themselves hydrated by drinking water or by consuming seasonal fruits. They must also avoid stepping out in the sun. If they have to step out then one should wear a scarf or bandana or use an umbrella,” said Dr. Manisha Singhvi.
