Context:
Air quality in Delhi remains ‘very poor’, govt. initiates action
AQI:
- Launched by the central government in 2014 as part of the Swachh Bharat campaign
- Released by – Central Pollution Control Board, Ministry of Environment
- It transforms complex air quality data of various pollutants into a single number (index value), nomenclature and colour.
- 6 AQI categories – Good, Satisfactory, Moderately polluted, Poor, Very Poor, and Severe.
- Each of these categories is decided based on ambient concentration values of air pollutants and their likely health impacts (known as health breakpoints).
- AQ sub-index and health breakpoints are evolved for 8 pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, NO2, SO2, CO, O3, NH3, and Pb) for which short-term (up to 24-hours) National Ambient Air Quality Standards are prescribed.
- The worst sub-index determines the overall AQI.
Air Quality Map of India:
Read more about: Air pollution, State of Global Air 2024 Report, Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), Dense Fog in North India
Source: The Hindu
Previous Year Question
In the cities of our country, which among the following atmospheric gases are normally considered in calculating the value of Air Quality Index?
1. Carbon dioxide
2. Carbon monoxide
3. Nitrogen dioxide
4. Sulfur dioxide
5. Methane
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2016 Prelims]
(a) 1, 2 and 3 only
(b) 2, 3 and 4 only
(c) 1, 4 and 5 only
(d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
Answer: (b)
