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National Air Quality Index (AQI): Real-Time Monitor for Quality of Air

News

  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the National Air Quality Index (AQI) for monitoring the quality of air in major urban centres across the country on a real-time basis and enhancing public awareness for taking mitigative action.
  • The Union Environment Ministry proposes to extend the measurement of air quality to 22 state capitals and 44 other cities with a population exceeding one million.
  • The AQI has been at present launched for 10 cities — Delhi, Agra, Kanpur, Lucknow, Varanasi, Faridabad, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad.
  • There are six AQI categories, namely: Good, Satisfactory, Moderately polluted, Poor, Very poor and Severe.
  • The index considers eight pollutants — PM10, PM2.5, NO2, SO2, CO, O3, NH3 and Pb). The likely health implications of the six categories would also be provided with a colour code.

Benefit

  • The AQI may prove to be a major initiative for improving air quality in urban areas as it would enhance public awareness and involvement and create a competitive environment among cities to take steps for air pollution-mitigation.
  • Traditionally, air quality status has been reported through voluminous data, but it is important that such information is put in the public domain in a format that can be easily understood by a layman.
  • It is an important step forward for building awareness and protecting public health.

About The Indian Iris

Just like an iris controls the light levels inside the eye making it possible for us to see the outside world, The Indian Iris aims at shedding light on the ongoing political affairs, policies and schemes of the Government of India (GOI) and those of the State Governments.

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