Dhaka’s Air continues to peak at pollution in January
Dhaka has again topped the list of cities with polluted Air. Dhaka’s Air was the worst on the city-based Air quality index (AQI) of Swiss air monitoring agency IQAir, with a score of 271, the level of ‘very unhealthy and hazardous.’
Air quality depends on the amount of suspended fine dust (Particulate Matter -PM10) and on the amount of Fine Particles (PM 2.5, which measures in units of micrograms per cubic meter (parts per million-ppm).
Apart from PM 2.5, PM 10, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and ground-level ozone, Air Quality Index or AQI creates by considering air pollution. The higher the AQI number, the more dangerous the air quality considers.
If the AQI is between zero and 50, the Air in that area is considered good. 51-100 is considered moderate or fairly acceptable air quality.
An AQI of 101-150 is considered unhealthy for sensitive people (children, elderly, asthmatics), and 151-200 is considered unhealthy for everyone. Moreover, if AQI is 201-300, it is very harmful, and if it exceeds 301, then that Air considers hazardous.
The IQAir’s list of cities with polluted Air has been followed by two Chinese cities, Shenyang and Chengdu. AQIs were 245 and 227, respectively.
However, Dhaka’s air quality improved slightly after noon. The most polluted Air at that time was in Delhi, the capital of India, with an AQI of 274.
Moreover, Dhaka’s AQI decreased to 205, and Dhaka was still third on the list of polluted air cities. Earlier last October, city dwellers could breathe some relief in Dhaka’s Air.
Although the dust in the Air increased in October, a few days off and rain at the beginning of the second week contributed to improving the air quality in the areas around Dhaka.
Then, experts expressed the fear of increasing air pollution levels during the winter and dust season. They advised the regulatory agencies to take the initiative to reduce the suffering.
Professor Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumdar, Director of the Atmospheric Pollution Study Center of Stamford University, said, “Our air quality is already bad in October-November-December. If it does not rain in between, the situation gets worse. There is pollution in Dhaka; polluted Air is constantly entering the city from places like Matuail, Aminbazar places where garbage sets on fire.”
Courtesy: গ্রীন পেইজ Green Page (Bengali)
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