Residents of Kolkata breathed relatively easier on Thursday as a steady breeze helped clear the city's air, preventing the typical winter stagnation. Despite a dip in temperatures, the air quality in most parts of the city showed marked improvement, largely staying out of the 'very poor' zone that is common for late December.
Winds Bring Relief to Key Monitoring Stations
Data from six of the city's seven active Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS) indicated that the majority of locations remained in the 'moderate' category or at the lower end of the 'poor' range. The Air Quality Index (AQI) readings provided a mixed but hopeful picture across different neighborhoods.
Ballygunge recorded an AQI of 184, placing it in the 'poor' category. Fort William, an area often affected by heavy traffic and ceremonial events, registered a relatively cleaner AQI of 137 ('moderate'). The Rabindra Bharati University (RBU) station showed an AQI of 144. The cleanest air was found at Rabindra Sarobar, where the green cover and presence of a water body helped maintain an AQI of 109, also in the 'moderate' band.
Persistent Pockets of Poor Air Quality
However, not all areas shared in the improvement. Victoria Memorial and Jadavpur emerged as significant pockets of concern, stubbornly staying in the 'poor' category with high AQI readings of 295 and 279 respectively. This highlights the localized nature of pollution and the challenges in achieving uniform air quality across the metropolitan area.
Officials Cite Meteorological Factors
Officials from the Pollution Control Board (PCB) attributed the day's relative improvement in air quality to specific weather conditions. The primary factors were stronger surface winds throughout the day, which aided in dispersing accumulated pollutants. Crucially, the absence of a daytime temperature inversion—a phenomenon where a layer of warm air traps cooler air and pollutants near the ground—prevented the harmful stagnation that typically worsens air quality during winter.
While the respite offered by the wind is welcome, the high readings in specific zones underscore the ongoing battle against pollution in Kolkata. The data serves as a reminder that sustained efforts are needed to address the root causes of air pollution, even when weather conditions provide temporary relief.
