UP: AQI in Jhansi touches 278, officials concerned over 'orange zone'

JHANSI: The Air Quality Index (AQI) or the fine particulate matter PM2.5 in Jhansi has suddenly risen to an alarming level of 278 on Saturday reaching the orange zone as informed by the pollution department here on Sunday. This can cause breathing discomfort on prolonged exposure.
Regional officer, UP Pollution Control Board (UPPCB), Jhansi, Deepa Arora said the average AQI here in 2021 used to be 102 which this year went a little high to 107. But suddenly the index has risen to an alarming lvel causing a concern for everyone.
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Apart from PM2.5, the PM10 was recorded 237 ug/m3, Nitrogen Oxide NO2-37 ug/m3 and Sulphur Dioxide SO2 was 31 ug/m3. The Central Pollution Control Board of India's annual average permissible limits for PM 2.5, PM 10 and NO2 are 40 ug/m3, 60 ug/m3 and 40 ug/m3 respectively.
The World Health Organization's safe limits are lower at 5 ug/m3, 15 ug/m3 and 10 ug/m3 for the three pollutants respectively.Prof Amit Pal of departm ent of environmental studies, Bundelkhand University said the three major causes of the sudden escalation may be due to the number of open crushing mining units operating here apart from ever increasing number of vehicles and fly ash emission from the Parichha Thermal Power Plant. These in combination with the wind dispersal, may also be the cause.
According to one such study, the country suffered multiple heat waves since March this year leading to high power demand which resulted in more coal burning in thermal power plants.
The mitigation process can be done by developing green belts and trees having more canopy area along with more Trichomes in leaves, suggested Prof Pal.
While 0-50 AQI level is considered good, 51-100 is considered satisfactory and above 100 can cause breathing discomfort. Taking air pollution as a serious issue, the district administration had recently lodged a case against Premier Agriculture Institute, Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute for burning farm residue (parali) inside the campus after the act was caught through satellite image.