AGRA: A day before Diwali, city’s air quality improved as Air Quality Index (AQI) turned from "very poor" to "poor" category. The AQI was recorded at 274 on Friday as compared to 309 a day earlier.
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Prolonged exposure to "poor" AQI causes respiratory ailments.
Though the UP government has banned sale and use of all types of firecrackers in 13 districts in the National Capital Region, including Agra, the threat of air quality reverting to hazardous level exists due to changing weather conditions and also how much pollution is caused on Diwali night, said experts.
According to data provided by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), out of 13 cities in the state monitored by them, eight cities have recorded “poor” and five have recorded “very poor” air quality.
Besides Agra, other cities in the "poor" category were Bulandshahr (291), Muzaffarnagar (284), Kanpur (274), Lucknow (264), Moradabad (258), Hapur (232), and Varanasi (219). While Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Greater Noida, Meerut, and Noida were in the "very poor" category.
An AQI between zero and 50 is considered "good", 51 and 100 "satisfactory", 101 and 200 "moderate", 201 and 300 "poor", 301 and 400 "very poor", and 401 and 500 “severe".
The major pollutant in the air was recorded particulate matter — PM 2.5, which is the minutest and finest particle that is able to travel deep into the respiratory tract. The 24-hour permissible level is 60 micrograms per cubic meter.