Breathe easy in Vizag, Tirupati

TNN | Updated: Mar 29, 2017, 10.05 AM IST

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VISAKHAPATNAM: The National Air Quality Index (AQI) for Visakhapatnam has been ranked 'satisfactory' considering the values of eight pollutants measured by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Along with Visakhapatnam, Tirupati has been ranked as 'satisfactory' in terms of air quality status in Andhra Pradesh.

The AQI values were observed for a period between November 2015 and October 2016 during which it was found Visakhapatnam and Tirupati have 'satisfactory' air quality, which means that only sensitive people may feel minor breathing discomfort.

The rankings are divided into six categories including good, satisfactory, moderate, poor, very poor and severe. Each of the categories is based on ambient concentration of air pollutants and likely impact on health. AQI takes into account values of eight pollutants including PM10, PM2.5, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, lead, ozone, carbon monoxide and ammonia.

The results were made public by minister of state (independent charge) for environment, forest and climate change, Anil Madhav Dave in the Rajya Sabha recently.

"(a) The National Air Quality Index (AQI) transforms complex air quality data of various pollutants into single number, nomenclature and colour; for effective communication of air quality status to people in terms, which are easy to understand," he said.

Poor air quality was noted in Delhi, Faridabad, Varanasi, Lucknow, Jaipur, Kanpur, Patna and Muzzaffarpur. Along with Visakhapatnam and Tirupati, satisfactory air quality was observed in cities such as Aurangabad, Navi Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Panchkula, Nagpur, Thane, Haldia, Rohtak, Howrah and Nashik.