Bengaluru's air quality worsened 8% in 2022: Study
Bengaluru saw a higher level of PM2.5 in 2022 than in 2021 as the city resumed normal day-to-day activities with employees returning to office after the pandemic effect ebbed.
In yet another study, Bengaluru's air quality was observed to have deteriorated in 2022, when compared to 2021. Switzerland-based firm IQAir, in it's 2022 World Air Quality Report, said Bengaluru's air quality worsened by over 8 per cent in 2022.
Bengaluru had PM2.5 levels of 31.5 µg/m³ in 2022, 8.6 per cent higher than the 29 µg/m³ recorded in 2021. November was the worst month for the city, with PM2.5 levels at 45.8 µg/m³. The PM2.5 levels in the city went from 18.1 µg/m³ to 36.9 µg/m³ from September to October, the report said. This is when the air quality in the city went downhill after the winter effect coupled with Deepawali celebrations.
READ | Bengaluru among cities that faced worst air pollution in winter: Study
Bengaluru's air quality was at its best in Monsoon season - from June to August - with PM2.5 levels at 14 to 15 µg/m³. The city saw high levels between 37 and 46 for the first four and the last three months of 2022.
This comes after a similar study conducted by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) which came out with a report analysing winter air pollution trends in five major cities across India, including Bengaluru. The report said Bengaluru saw the fastest worsening of PM2.5 levels, and also experienced the worst peak pollution this winter in the last four years.
READ | Bengaluru gets ₹450 crore to improve city's ‘poor’ AQI
In relief, Bengaluru's civic body, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) allocated ₹450 crore in this year's budget to control the high AQI levels in the city.
The BBMP has looked at introducing fresh measures to mitigate pollution, such as the construction of parks below flyovers and tech corridors. The civic agency will also be constructing fountains at 75 main junctions in Bengaluru, and transform the city into a green zone with shuttle service around metro stations, promotion of electric cars and similar such services.
