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Kolkata, Dec 8 (PTI) Three days of unseasonal rain triggered by Cyclone ‘Michaung’ since December 6 improved the city’s air quality considerably, officials said.
An official of West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB) said the city’s air quality index (AQI) on Friday ranged between 28-42 (PM2.5), significantly better than 150-250 (PM 2.5) recorded during December 1-5.
The AQI was 38 at Rabindra Sarobar automated air monitoring station, Ballygunge (35), Victoria (42), Jadavpur (33), Bidhannagar (31) and 28 at Rabindra Bharati University automated air monitoring station, the official added.
On Thursday, AQI was 61 at Rabindra Sarobar, 65 at Ballygunje, 53 at Jadavpur, 65 at Fort William, 63 at Bidhannagar and 56 at Rabindra Bharati University, the WBPCB said.
On Wednesday, the AQI was 70 at Rabindra Sarobar, 83 at Jadavpur, 86 at Ballygunge, 91 at Fort William, 80 at Bidhannagar and 84 at Rabindra Bharati University, the official said.
According to the official, all these AQI readings are termed as ‘good’ and ‘satisfactory’, which signifies that the air quality is not harmful to anyone.
During December 1-5, the AQI in different parts of Kolkata was between 150-250 (PM 2.5), rated as ‘moderate’ to ‘poor’ in environmental parlance.
“The unseasonal rain triggered by Michaung has minimised toxic pollutants and made the air clean and ambient,” the official told PTI.
Environmentalist Somendra Mohan Ghosh said three days of successive rain increased the carbon absorbing ability of plants which cleansed the air further. PTI SUS MNB
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