Supriya Sule Compares Breathing in Pune to 'Smoking 3-4 Cigarettes' | Check Mumbai's Air Quality

The deteriorating air quality in several parts of Maharashtra has raised serious concerns. As many as 17 air quality monitoring systems in Mumbai showed moderate Air Quality Index (AQI) levels while the remaining four pockets showed ‘poor’ quality on Sunday. Meanwhile, NCP leader Supriya Sule compared breathing in Pune to “smoking 3-4 cigarettes a day”.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Mumbai recorded an AQI of 159, which is categorised as ‘moderate’, an Indian Express Report said. Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) in the western suburbs recorded ‘poor’ AQI of 238 on Sunday morning, followed by 216 in Sion, 212 in Colaba and 211 in Mulund. Worli recorded ‘satisfactory’ AQI of 90 on Sunday.

NCP leader Supriya Sule on Sunday took to X (formerly Twitter) and compared breathing in Pune to “smoking 3-4 cigarettes a day”. “Just arrived in Pune from Mumbai, and the air quality is a serious concern. Breathing this polluted air feels like smoking 3-4 cigarettes a day! The health of our citizens, especially children and the elderly, is at risk. We need immediate action from the government and local authorities to combat this issue,” she wrote.

Experts have attributed the deteriorating AQI to multiple reasons inlcuding man-made and natural factors. “Currently, the wind circulation has been such that the air could not rise because of which dust particles remained suspended in the air resulting in poor AQI levels,” Sushma Nair, scientist at IMD Mumbai was quoted by the Indian Express as saying.

Experts said that ongoing construction works and vehicular emissions were other key contributors to the current AQI status.

On Saturday, several parts of Mumbai recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) over 200 which is considered as ‘poor’.  The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) issued guidelines for controlling air pollution while warning construction sites to adhere to those guidelines.