Bhopal pips Srinagar in AQI race, posts clearer air for four straight days

Bhopal: If you thought Bhopal could never compete with Srinagar for clean air, surrounded as it is with the spotless Himalayas and blessed with Nature’s bountiful harvest, you were wrong.

Bhopal, on Wednesday, logged better air quality than the Jammu & Kashmir capital, with an AQI of 34 as against Srinagar’s 72.Numbers, in fact, cast the Madhya Pradesh capital in an even more positive light with regard to air quality, as Bhopal recorded cleaner air than Srinagar for four consecutive days.Bhopal’s AQI remained below 50 for four days at a stretch, while Srinagar’s ranged between 55 and 75 in the corresponding period.Officials attributed the significant improvement in Bhopal’s air quality to robust pre-monsoon showers, helping wash away dust particles and reduce airborne pollutants.The ‘City of Lakes’, according to pollution data, has generally experienced good air days this year.According to the Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board (MPCB), Bhopal’s air quality between January and June this year was recorded as ‘good’ for 15 days, ‘satisfactory’ for 62 days, ‘moderate’ for 82 days, ‘poor’ for 11 days, and ‘very poor’ for just one day.

Officials said during the monsoon, the rains play a critical role in keeping the city air cleaner by settling dust and reducing the spread of vehicle-related pollutants, adding that wet roads also help control dust emissions caused by traffic, leading to improved air quality.While showers do lead to traffic disruptions, power cuts and waterlogging, they are considered the best period of the year in terms of air quality.

However, officials warned that damaged roads, dust from vehicles, and increased construction activities after rains can cause pollution levels to rise again, adding winter bonfires also contribute significantly to air pollution.Experts said that with rainfall, the dust and the suspended particulate matter get heavier and settle on the ground instead of remaining in the air. Vehicle movement also generates less airborne dust as tyres can’t kick up pollutants from wet roads, helping bring down pollution levels.Air quality is measured by monitoring levels of pollutants such as sulphur dioxide (SO₂), nitrogen oxides (NOx), respirable suspended particulate matter (PM10), and fine particulate matter (PM2.5), experts said. Among these, PM 2.5 is considered the most harmful as it can cause serious lung-related health problems. PM10 mainly comes from dust, construction and road activities, while PM 2.5 is linked to dust, human activities and climatic conditions.GFX HEADLINE: BHOPAL’s AIR SUPERIORITYBhopalDate- AQIJuly 1- 34June 30- 45June 29- 48June 28- 44SrinagarDate- AQIJuly 1-72June 30-64June 29-58June 28-58(as per CPCB)AQI Yardstick Health Impacts0-50 Good Minimal impact51-100 Satisfactory Minor breathing discomfort101-200 Moderate Breathing discomfort asthma, cardiac patients201-300 Poor Breathing discomfort on prolonged exposure301-400 Very Poor Respiratory illness on prolonged exposure401-500 Severe Affects all, severely impacts ailingBhopal: If you thought Bhopal could never compete with Srinagar for clean air, surrounded as it is with the spotless Himalayas and blessed with Nature’s bountiful harvest, you were wrong.

Bhopal, on Wednesday, logged better air quality than the Jammu & Kashmir capital, with an AQI of 34 as against Srinagar’s 72.Numbers, in fact, cast the Madhya Pradesh capital in an even more positive light with regard to air quality, as Bhopal recorded cleaner air than Srinagar for four consecutive days.Bhopal’s AQI remained below 50 for four days at a stretch, while Srinagar’s ranged between 55 and 75 in the corresponding period.Officials attributed the significant improvement in Bhopal’s air quality to robust pre-monsoon showers, helping wash away dust particles and reduce airborne pollutants.The ‘City of Lakes’, according to pollution data, has generally experienced good air days this year.According to the Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board (MPCB), Bhopal’s air quality between January and June this year was recorded as ‘good’ for 15 days, ‘satisfactory’ for 62 days, ‘moderate’ for 82 days, ‘poor’ for 11 days, and ‘very poor’ for just one day.Officials said during the monsoon, the rains play a critical role in keeping the city air cleaner by settling dust and reducing the spread of vehicle-related pollutants, adding that wet roads also help control dust emissions caused by traffic, leading to improved air quality.While showers do lead to traffic disruptions, power cuts and waterlogging, they are considered the best period of the year in terms of air quality.

However, officials warned that damaged roads, dust from vehicles, and increased construction activities after rains can cause pollution levels to rise again, adding winter bonfires also contribute significantly to air pollution.Experts said that with rainfall, the dust and the suspended particulate matter get heavier and settle on the ground instead of remaining in the air. Vehicle movement also generates less airborne dust as tyres can’t kick up pollutants from wet roads, helping bring down pollution levels.Air quality is measured by monitoring levels of pollutants such as sulphur dioxide (SO₂), nitrogen oxides (NOx), respirable suspended particulate matter (PM10), and fine particulate matter (PM2.5), experts said. Among these, PM 2.5 is considered the most harmful as it can cause serious lung-related health problems. PM10 mainly comes from dust, construction and road activities, while PM 2.5 is linked to dust, human activities and climatic conditions.GFX HEADLINE: BHOPAL’s AIR SUPERIORITYBhopalDate- AQIJuly 1- 34June 30- 45June 29- 48June 28- 44SrinagarDate- AQIJuly 1-72June 30-64June 29-58June 28-58(as per CPCB)AQI Yardstick Health Impacts0-50 Good Minimal impact51-100 Satisfactory Minor breathing discomfort101-200 Moderate Breathing discomfort asthma, cardiac patients201-300 Poor Breathing discomfort on prolonged exposure301-400 Very Poor Respiratory illness on prolonged exposure