AIR IN A'BAD AS BAD AS IN CHINESE CITIES

Air quality deteriorates during festive time; PM2.5 levels over 300 at peak hours are five times the WHO recommended limit

- Kuldeep Tiwari

Come Diwali and Amdavadis breathe in air that is as bad as most-polluted Chinese cities. On Wednesday evening the Air Quality Index (AQI) remained close to the 'poor' category in most areas of the city at midnight and midday, hovering between 200 and 310.

Air quality is determined by presence of PM2.5 and PM10 levels in the air besides other gases (see box on page 7). For instance, on Wednesday, the AQI in many cities in China like Xingtai (307), Huanghua (304), Qingping (305), Shuangqiao (304), Zibo (301) Liaoyang (301) and Gaomi (299) remained lower than SVPI Airport in Hansol area in Ahmedabad which was 318 around noon.