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Pune's Air Quality Plummets to 'Poor' Amidst December Spike
4 Dec
Summary
- Pune's air quality declined sharply into the 'poor' category.
- Three monitoring stations recorded AQI values over 300.
- Falling temperatures, stagnant winds, and emissions are causes.
Pune experienced a sharp decline in air quality on Thursday, with pollution levels pushing the city into the 'poor' category. Data from the Sameer App revealed that three major monitoring stations—Shivajinagar, Lohegaon, and Bhumkar Nagar—recorded Air Quality Index (AQI) values surpassing 300, indicating a 'very poor' air quality status. The citywide AQI stood at 213 around 9 pm, marking the second significant pollution surge within the first week of December.
Experts from the Metropolitan Air Quality and Weather Forecasting Services (MAQWS) at IITM cite a convergence of factors contributing to this deterioration. These include plummeting temperatures, poor atmospheric ventilation leading to stagnant air, and substantial emissions stemming from continuous construction activities and heavy vehicular traffic. These elements collectively exacerbate the air pollution crisis, pushing AQI levels to concerning heights.
With winter conditions expected to deepen, further increases in pollution levels are anticipated unless proactive measures are implemented. Recommendations include enhanced dust control at construction sites, improved traffic management strategies, and stricter enforcement against waste burning. While pollution data is regularly shared with civic and state agencies, the onus remains on these authorities to enact necessary interventions to mitigate the escalating air quality concerns.
