This story is from December 24, 2019

‘Severe’ AQI chokes Patna

Air quality in Patna and Muzaffarpur continued to remain severe for the third consecutive day on Monday due to plunge in mercury column and foggy conditions.
‘Severe’ AQI chokes Patna
PATNA: Air quality in Patna and Muzaffarpur continued to remain severe for the third consecutive day on Monday due to plunge in mercury column and foggy conditions.
A slight improvement was seen in the last 24 hours as far as air quality in the two cities is concerned. However, the air quality index (AQI) level was still above 400 mark. According to figures released by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the AQI of Patna clocked 422 at 4pm on Monday.
Muzaffarpur’s AQI, on the other hand, was recorded at 405.
The maximum PM 2.5 (particulate matter in the air with a diameter of less than 2.5 microns) was registered at 500, average at 422 and minimum at 360 in the state capital, as per ‘Sameer’, a mobile application which provides hourly updates on the national AQI published by the CPCB.
The air quality of Patna was recorded on single air quality monitoring station. Three more air quality monitoring stations were recently set up in the state capital – one each at S K Memorial Hall, Birla Institute of Technology-Mesra campus and Eco Park.
On the other hand, the air quality at S K Memorial Hall was recorded at 167 with PM 10 (particulate matter less than 10 microns) at 3pm.
Swaminath Jaiswal, an environment scientist at Bihar State Pollution Control Board, said steps were being taken to connect the new monitoring stations with the CPCB website. “A proposal in this regard was sent to the CPCB,” he added.
According to the ‘air quality early warning system’ of the ministry of earth sciences, slight improvement in AQI of Patna is expected in the next 24 hours owing to wind speed and its direction.

Pradhan Parth Sarthi, professor at department of environmental science of Central University of South Bihar (CUSB), said improvement in the air quality depends on climatic conditions, such as cloud-free sky, wind velocity and high outgoing long-wave radiation. “This condition can help in release of confined pollutants in the troposphere (lower layer of atmosphere),” he said.
“The forecast of further improvement in air quality is mainly due to clear sky and wind velocity,” he added.
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About the Author
Faryal Rumi

She is working with the Times of India as a Senior Digital Content Creator on the Patna desk.

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