Air Quality Index

Air pollution has become a massive challenge for the world. India faces deterioration of air quality every year in October and November months. In order to know the air quality, we measure the element by the Air Quality Index. In this section, we will learn about the Air Quality Index (that is abbreviated as AQI). We will answer the question – ‘What is the Air Quality Index?’ ‘What is AQI?’ or ‘What is AQI in weather?’ 

Our discussion will be based on the air quality of India. Let us get updates about the same. 

What is AQI in Weather?

AQI is the abbreviated form of the Air Quality Index. Hence for the answer to the question – What is the Air Quality Index? It can be said that - Air Quality Index (abbreviated as AQI) is basically a tool that is used for reporting the daily air quality of a particular place or zone. This index will determine the cleanliness or the type of pollution the air is, and what are the associated health effects that it concerns you. The AQI focuses on the health effects which you might be experiencing within a couple of hours or days after breathing that polluted bad air.

What is AQI?

AQI means Air Quality Index, which holds the same definition as mentioned above.

What Does the Air Quality Index Mean?

In many countries today, air quality indices are created to measure the quality of the air. These air quality indices will measure the type or variant of air quality in the country. This also checks the amount of nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, and sulfur dioxide content in the air, which must not exceed the World Health Organization criteria.

Countries like India use the National Air Quality Index, Canada also uses the Air Quality Health Index, Singapore uses the same, which is the Pollutant Standards Index, and Malaysia uses the Air Pollution Index.

In other cities like Beijing, a 'pollution emergency' is declared. In India also the same is declared in November 2019. 

So far, we have talked about what the air index is. We know what AQI stands for and what AQI means. Now we will discuss the National Air Quality Index being launched in India. Also, we will discuss the categories which are created for the air quality index in our upcoming section.

National Air Quality Index

On the 17^th of September in 2014, The National Air Quality Index was launched in New Delhi under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan by the environment ministry supervised under Shri Prakash Javadekar, the environment minister in India.

The air quality index is composed of 8 pollutants: PM10, PM2.5, NO₂, SO₂, CO, O₃, NH₃, and Pb.

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This Air Quality Index mentioned above measures the quality of air. This air quality index shows the content and types of gases that are dissolved in the air. There are about six categories of air that have been created in the air quality index; they are as follows: 

• Good

• Satisfactory

• Moderate

• Poor

• Very poor

• Severe.

What is AQI Level?

With the deteriorating air quality level, the atmosphere also deteriorates, from good to bad to very poor, and finally to severe.

Delhi’s major components of air pollution are PM 2.5 and PM 10. When this level of particles rises in the air, it causes great difficulty in breathing, also causes irritation in the eyes, etc. 

According to the Berkeley Earth science research group, ‘breathing in the air with a PM of 2.5 content of between 950 to 1,000 is like smoking 44 cigarettes in a single day.

What is a Good Air Quality Index? 

A good air quality index is the air quality with minimal health impact. After answering the question of ‘What is a good air quality index?’ Now we will know about other air quality ranges with their associated health impacts.

Causes of Air Pollution in Delhi

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The causes of air pollution in Delhi are as follows:

1. Reduction of airflow

2. Use of excessive firecrackers and other smoke emitting lights on the occasion of Diwali.

3. The farmers of Haryana and Punjab do stubble burning.

4. The extreme increase in the number of vehicles going around.

Measures to Control the Air Pollution in Delhi

The Central Pollution Control Board (abbreviated as CPCB), working with the State of Pollution Control Board (SPCB), is also conducting a National Air Monitoring Program (which is abbreviated as NAMP) this covers around 240 cities in the country which have more than 342 monitoring stations located in the city.

The government has also taken several steps which helps in controlling the air pollution in New Delhi; all those measures include promoting CNG based transport which runs as per the auto fuel policy, also of implementing the Odd-Even formula, spraying the water on trees, a temporary ban on the construction of activities, cleaning of the road through the vacuum cleaner, strengthening the public transport, stopping the operation of coal-based thermal power projects in and around the city, etc.

In conclusion, we can say that it is not to blame the government for every problem; rather, people's participation counts the most. 

Contribute to Air Pollution Controlling Movement

When the Elevated Air Particle Levels are Forecasted, you can do the following to reduce air pollution:

• Do not burn any leaves or trash, and other smoky materials; it will emit harmful gases.

• Don’t use any gas-powered lawn which will emit bad gas when the rain falls.

• Do not frequently travel in your car or motorcycle.

• Lessen your fireplace activity and also the wood stove usage.

• Do not barbeque in your griller.

Once the ozone layer of air gets elevated, you can do the following:

• Reduce your time simply by riding your automobile or your motorcycle.

• Set the air conditioners at a minimum of 77 degrees. 

• Instead of driving alone in a car, share the ride with a rider to a workplace or simply use public transportation.

• Combine all the errands by careful planning with a lesser number of trips.

• Walking whenever possible will also keep you fit and healthy, then riding a bike.

• Reduce using the hair sprays and spraying of deodorants.

General Things which you can do in order to reduce the air pollution in the place you live:

• Try to conserve as much energy as possible – at home, at work, literally everywhere.

• Check and make sure that your tires are inflated.

• Mulch or compost the leaves in your yard waste.

• Use low-level energy labels while purchasing any personal or any business equipment.

• Carpool or you can also take trains and buses.

Did You Know?

Below is information on the current air pollution scenario, which will suggest what air quality is right now.

• The Air quality started to improve a lot in India. Studies showed that there is a reduction of Nitrogen Dioxide NO₂ in the month of June of the year 2021.

• The quality of the air in Delhi worsened the most recently. The AQI stands at 245, and the air quality is indexed at ‘poor’.

• The panel of air quality management shuts down after five months of formation. The central government’s commission for the Air Quality Management got shut down as well.