Metros breathe easy, AQI slips below 200 after 2 months

Sky gets clearer across Indian metros

Air quality improved in metropolitan cities on December 9, with AQI levels slipping below 200 for the first time in nearly two months, data released by the Central Pollution Control Board shows.

Delhi’s air quality showed a dramatic improvement with an Air Quality Index (AQI) reading of 186 against 302 the previous day.

Mumbai’s AQI also improved to 112 from 125, Kolkata’s was at 167.

An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered good, 51 and 100 satisfactory, 101 and 200 moderate, 201 and 300 poor, 301 and 400 very poor, 401 and 450 severe, and above 450 severe-plus.

Besides the three cities, 99 of 251 cities which reported data on December 9 had “moderate” air quality.

Among the metros, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru had “satisfactory” air, with AQI levels ranging between 50 and 100.

Bengaluru had an AQI reading of 66, Hyderabad 67 and Chennai 75. Nearly 40 percent of the cities had “moderate” air, while 10 percent had “good” air with AQI below 50.

Mizoram’s capital Aizwal was the cleanest, with an AQI of 19.

On the other end of the spectrum, Durgapur, West Bengal, had an AQI of 340. Four other cities, Pali, Asansol, Barrackpore and Jodhpur, had AQI of above 300 on December 9.

Among the international destinations, New York had an AQI of 69, London 33 and Beijing 79, as per IQAir data.