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Mumbai Chokes: Smog Blankets City, AQI Hits Poor Zone
24 Nov
Summary
- Mumbai's air quality index reached 176, with ozone as the main pollutant.
- Construction sites and concrete plants face immediate shutdown under GRAP 4.
- Early La Nina conditions are slowing winds, trapping pollutants over the city.
Mumbai woke to a thick haze on Sunday as its air quality declined sharply, with the AQI reaching 176, primarily due to ozone. Several stations reported AQI levels exceeding 200, prompting authorities to consider implementing the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) 4. This plan mandates the cessation of all construction, ready-mix concrete plant operations, and other pollution sources until air quality improves.
The civic body has already issued stop-work notices to 59 construction sites and ready-mix concrete plants, emphasizing the need for adherence to comprehensive air pollution guidelines. These include measures like barricading sites, covering them with green cloth, and scientific debris storage. The city's air quality has deteriorated since early November, following the subsidence of monsoon rains.
Experts point to an early onset of La Nina conditions as a major factor. This climate pattern typically slows wind speeds in coastal cities like Mumbai, preventing pollutants from dispersing and causing them to linger. The resulting trapped suspended particulate matter creates smog and mist-like conditions, significantly impacting public health.
