Mumbai: 'Pregnant women, newborns, elderly suffer most due to air quality drop'

MUMBAI: The city experienced a notable increase in air pollution Thursday, said an analysis by Respirer Living Sciences (RLS), a tech platform that monitors and analyses air pollution. “While most monitoring stations showed moderate increases, specific locations such as Sewri, Kandivli West, and Malad West recorded PM2.5 surges exceeding 70%,” it said.

The analysis covered data from 28 monitoring locations, mostly of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), in Mumbai using the AtlasAQ platform by RLS.

"There was a pronounced increase in both PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations across Mumbai, particularly in Mazgaon and Kherwadi, where percentage increases were exceptionally high. This could be due to Diwali celebrations, as these increases exceed standard daily variations, posing heightened health risks in affected areas. These findings suggest the need for targeted interventions to manage air quality , especially around festival times," the analysis stated.

“Diwali festivities undeniably highlight the impact of concentrated pollution sources on urban air quality. This year’s data underscores the need for proactive measures to mitigate such spikes, particularly in neighbourhoods with larger populations of vulnerable groups such as pregnant women, newborns, and the elderly. These groups particularly suffer during rapid increases in concentration as experienced during Diwali and a few days after that,” said Ronak Sutaria, CEO and founder of RLS.

"Mazgaon saw the most significant increase in PM2.5 levels , rising by a staggering 105.83% from Day 1 to Day 2, reaching 175.04 on Diwali. This was the highest recorded increase, showing how festive activities affected air quality. Kherwadi in Bandra East also experienced a substantial rise in PM2.5, increasing by 72.30% to 145.44 on Day 2, which is concerning given its already high baseline.

Navy Nagar in Colaba and Vile Parle West followed, with increases of 89.63% and 67.93% respectively, indicating a significant pollution spike in these areas.

Siddharth Nagar in Worli, though with a smaller percentage increase of 40.83%, still recorded a notable rise in PM2.5," it stated.

"Mazgaon again exhibited the largest increase in PM10 levels, with a remarkable 127.42% rise from Day 1 to Day 2, reaching 254.41. This spike reflects a critical degradation in air quality, likely influenced by Diwali activities. Kherwadi in Bandra East saw a 63.83% increase, with PM10 rising to 199.84, mar king it as another hotspot of pollution. Navy Nagar in Colaba experienced a 60.99% increase, reaching 216.32, consistent with its PM2.5 spike. In Vile Parle West, PM10 levels increased by 13.86%, showing a moderate rise compared to other locations, yet still significant. Shivaji Nagar showed a slightly higher increase of 5.12%, reflecting relatively stable but concerning pollution levels.”