Patna, Nov 18
The air quality in Patna and other parts of Bihar has been deteriorating raising serious health and environmental concerns.
The average air quality index (AQI) of 332 fell under the 'very poor' level in the city on Monday. Such levels significantly affect health, especially for vulnerable populations like asthmatics, children, and the elderly.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), an AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', 401 and 450 'severe' and above 450 'severe plus'.
The Bihar State Pollution Control Board has recorded PM 2.5: 154 µg/m3 which is hazardous, well above the safe limit of 60 µg/m3 set by the National Ambient Air Quality Standards.
PM 10: 346 µg/m3 is also hazardous, exceeding the safe limit of 100 µg/m3 in Patna.
The industrial area in Patna has turned into a hotspot with an AQI of 786. It can be classified as 'severe plus'. PM 2.5: 427.7 µg/m3 is extremely high and PM 10: 739 µg/m3 is also dangerously high.
Besides the Industrial area, Samanpura locality has 468 AQI, 179.7 PM 2.5 and PM 10 is 484 µg/m3.
In other areas in Patna such as Planetarium Complex, AQI reached 368, PM 2.5 was 176 and PM 10 was 404 µg/m3. DRM office Danapur has an AQI level of 341, Rajbansi Nagar has 341 and Gulzarbagh has 309.