Now Reading: Gwalior air quality worst in MP, AQI crosses 300 before Diwali
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Gwalior air quality worst in MP, AQI crosses 300 before Diwali
The Story in Brief
Air quality in several Madhya Pradesh cities has deteriorated ahead of Diwali, with Gwalior recording the worst pollution. Three monitoring stations in Gwalior registered AQI readings above 300: 348 at Deendayal Nagar, 334 at Maharaj Bada, and 316 at City Centre, all in the ‘very poor’ category. No station in the state crossed AQI 400, so no location fell into the ‘severe’ category.
In Bhopal, the AQI at the Environment Complex was 261, classified as ‘poor’, with PM 2.5 as the main pollutant. Other cities with poor air quality include Indore (AQI 233 at Chhoti Gwaltoli), Ujjain (229 at Mahashweta Nagar) and Mandideep (251 in Sector D industrial area). In Indore, some areas fared better: Regional Park recorded an AQI of 48, the best in the state. Jabalpur and Sagar reported moderate air quality, while Damoh, Maihar and Satna had satisfactory readings.
PM 2.5 levels were highest in Gwalior’s Deendayal Nagar, while Maharaj Bada recorded the highest PM 10 levels. Among gaseous pollutants, NO2 was the primary pollutant in Ratlam’s Shastri Nagar, with an AQI of 132.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The data shows a sharp pre-Diwali spike in particulate pollution across MP’s urban and industrial centres, with Gwalior the worst hit. PM 2.5 and PM 10 dominate, pointing to vehicle emissions, construction dust and industrial activity as key drivers. The variation within cities, Indore’s AQI ranges from 48 to 233, suggests that localised sources and green cover make a measurable difference. No monitoring station reported ‘severe’ air yet, but the trajectory ahead of the festival is concerning. The state pollution board’s next AQI bulletin will show whether Diwali firecrackers push readings into the emergency zone.
Source: bhaskar.com
This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Methodology and corrections.
