Centre for Science and Environment’s Urban Lab’s Air Quality Tracker Initiative reports alarming rise in PM2.5 levels in western Indian states
According to a new analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), the winter of 2022-23 in the western Indian states of Maharashtra and Gujarat was the most polluted in the last four years.
The CSE’s Urban Lab carried out the analysis from October 1, 2022, to February 28, 2023, using real-time data from 58 continuous ambient air quality monitoring stations (CAAQMS) spread across 17 cities in the two states.
Winter pollution in the region typically sets in during late November and early December, when cooler and calmer conditions trap local pollution.
The analysis found that winter pollution has been rising in Maharashtra on a yearly basis and stood at 66 µg/m³ this winter, a 13% increase compared to the mean of the previous three winter seasons.
Gujarat was the more polluted of the two states, with a winter average of 73 µg/m³, a 6% increase compared to the mean of the previous three winters.
Most polluted locations in the region were located in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. The report calls for immediate action to control pollution from key sources across the region.