Day 1: 2019 to begin on a bad air note in Pune

PUNE: The new year is set to start on a polluted note, especially in the areas on the city’s outskirts, like Lohegaon and Manjari, where the pollutant levels are likely to cross the maximum permissible limits on January 1.

As per the pollution forecast made by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology’s (IITM) System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), January 1 is likely to be the most polluted day since December 20, 2018.

Data collated by SAFAR showed that both, particulate matter (PM) 10 and PM2.5 concentrations are likely to exceed the maximum permissible limits on January 1, 2 and 3. The highest concentrations are expected specifically on January 1. The average PM10 concentration in the city is likely to touch 151µg/m³ or micrograms per cubic meter, while PM2.5 may touch 87 µg/m³ against the permissible limits of 100 µg/m³ and 60 µg/m³ respectively.

The city’s overall air quality had gone from “satisfactory” to “moderate” over the last few days due to the significant drop in night temperature. Gufran Beig, the project director of SAFAR and a scientist at the IITM, said there has been a continuous drop in the temperature and even the wind speed has been low. The meteorological conditions are bound to aid the deterioration in the air quality. Lower the temperature, higher is the level of pollutant-concentration in the air, he said.

Moreover, because of the prevailing cold wave conditions, many people light up bonfires to keep themselves warm. That too contributes to winter pollution.

“Open burning usually increases during this time of the year due to the increase in the intensity of the winter. Already, there have been more instances of open burning this year in comparison to the same time last year. On January 1, apart from vehicular emissions, there may also be an increase in the instances of open burning as well as firecracker activity, especially near Lohegaon, Manjari and other residential areas,” said Beig.

Beig said residential areas that are isolated too will see a spike in air pollution. “Usually, the temperature drops more in isolated areas in comparison to crowded areas. Therefore, the polluted air tends to become heavy there. Any additional emissions from open burning and firecracker activity will cause the air quality at such places to deteriorate faster than in crowded areas,” said Beig.

Predicting a spike in pollutants, the city doctors had advised revellers to take necessary precautions.

Dhananjay Dutt, a working professional, said, “I have a recurrent sinus infection that gets worse with a change in temperature and exposure to pollutants, including traffic fumes. On New Years’ Eve, I limited the time I spent outside. I wore a pollution mask on the way to the lounge and then stayed indoors.”