4/6/2015

NationalAirQualityIndex(AQI)launchedbytheEnvironmentMinisterAQIisahugeinitiativeunderSwachhBharat

PressInformationBureau
GovernmentofIndia
MinistryofEnvironmentandForests
17October201417:38IST

NationalAirQualityIndex(AQI)launchedbytheEnvironmentMinisterAQIisahugeinitiativeunderSwachh
Bharat
AQItoactasOneNumberOneColourOneDescriptiontojudgetheAirQualityforCommonMan:Shri
PrakashJavadekar

TheMinisterforEnvironment,Forests&ClimateChangeShriPrakashJavadekartodaylaunchedTheNationalAir
Quality Index (AQI) in New Delhi.Speaking on the occasion, Shri Javadekar outlined the AQI, as One Number One
ColourOneDescriptionforthecommonmantojudgetheairqualitywithinhisvicinity.Theformulationoftheindexwas
a continuation of the initiatives under Swachh Bharat Mission envisioned by the Honble Prime Minister Shri
NarendraModi.

Elaboratingfurther,theMinisterstatedthattheindexconstitutedpartoftheGovernmentsmissiontointroducethe
cultureofcleanliness.Institutionalandinfrastructuralmeasureswerebeingundertakeninordertoensurethatthemandateof
cleanlinesswasfulfilledacrossthecountry.Asapartoftheprocess,hementionedthatcleanairwouldbeapartofPeoples
campaignto take up the issue in a mission mode. In order to widen the ambit of the culture of cleanliness, the Ministry
proposed to discuss the issues concerned regarding quality of air with the Ministry of Human Resource Development in
ordertoincludethisissueaspartofthesensitizationprogrammeinthecoursecurriculum.

Underthenewmeasurementprocess,ShriJavadekarstatedthatanefforthadbeenmadetoincludeacomprehensive
setofparameters.Whiletheearliermeasuringindexwaslimitedtothreeindicators,thecurrentmeasurementindexhadbeen
madequitecomprehensivebytheadditionoffiveadditionalparameters.Underthecurrentmeasurementofairquality,8
parameters. The initiatives undertaken by the Ministry recently aimed at balancing environment and conservation and
development.

Airpollutionhasbeenamatterofenvironmentalandhealthconcerns,particularlyinurbanareas.CentralPollution
Control Board along with State Pollution Control Boards has been operating National Air Monitoring Program (NAMP)
covering240citiesofthecountry.Inaddition,continuousmonitoringsystemsthatprovidedataonnearrealtimebasisare
alsoinstalledinafewcities.

Traditionally,airqualitystatushasbeenreportedthroughvoluminousdata.Thus,itwasimportantthatinformation
on air quality is put up in public domain in simple linguistic terms that is easily understood by a common person. Air
Quality Index (AQI) is one such tool for effective dissemination of air quality information to people. An Expert Group
comprising medical professionals, air quality experts, academia, advocacy groups, and SPCBs was constitutedand a
technicalstudywasawardedtoIITKanpur.IITKanpurandtheExpertGrouprecommendedanAQIscheme.

TherearesixAQIcategories,namelyGood,Satisfactory,Moderatelypolluted,Poor,VeryPoor,andSevere.The
proposedAQIwillconsidereightpollutants(PM10,PM2.5,NO2,SO2,CO,O3,NH3,andPb)forwhichshortterm(upto
24hourlyaveragingperiod)NationalAmbientAirQualityStandardsareprescribed.

Based on the measured ambient concentrations, corresponding standards and likely health impact, a subindex is
calculated for each of these pollutants. The worst subindex reflects overall AQI. Associated likely health impacts for
different AQI categories and pollutants have been also been suggested, with primary inputs from the medical expert
membersofthegroup.TheAQIvaluesandcorrespondingambientconcentrations(healthbreakpoints)aswellasassociated
likelyhealthimpactsfortheidentifiedeightpollutantsareasfollows:
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NationalAirQualityIndex(AQI)launchedbytheEnvironmentMinisterAQIisahugeinitiativeunderSwachhBharat

AQICategory,PollutantsandHealthBreakpoints
AQI

PM

10

PM

2.5

NO

CO

24hr

8hr

8hr

SO

NH

Pb

24hr

24hr

24hr

Category
(Range)

24hr

Good(050)

050

030

040

050

01.0

040

0200

00.5

Satisfactory
(51100)

51100

3160

4180

51100

1.12.0

4180

201400

0.5
1.0

Moderately
polluted

101250

6190

81180

101168

2.110

81380

401800 1.12.0

Poor
(201300)

251350

91120

181
280

169208

1017

381800

801
1200

2.13.0

Verypoor

351430 121250

281

209

1734

801

1200

3.13.5

400

748*

1600

1800

400+

748+*

1600+

1800+

24hr

(mg/m )

(101200)

(301400)
Severe

430+

250+

34+

3.5+

(401500)
*Onehourlymonitoring(formathematicalcalculationsonly)

AQI

AssociatedHealthImpacts

Good
(050)

MinimalImpact

Satisfactory
(51100)

Maycauseminorbreathingdiscomforttosensitivepeople.

Moderatelypolluted
(101200)

May cause breathing discomfort to people with lung disease such as

asthma, and discomfort to people with heart disease, children and older
adults.

Poor
(201300)

May cause breathing discomfort to people on prolonged exposure, and

discomforttopeoplewithheartdisease

VeryPoor
(301400)

Maycauserespiratoryillnesstothepeopleonprolongedexposure.Effect
maybemorepronouncedinpeoplewithlungandheartdiseases.

Severe

Maycauserespiratory impact even on healthy people, and serious health

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(401500)

NationalAirQualityIndex(AQI)launchedbytheEnvironmentMinisterAQIisahugeinitiativeunderSwachhBharat

impacts on people with lung/heart disease. The health impacts may be

experiencedevenduringlightphysicalactivity.

The report will also be available on CPCBs website (www.cpcb.nic.in) for 45 daysfor seeking public
views/comments. Thereafter, AQI scheme will be finalized after evaluating the comments received and incorporating
changesifanyinthescheme.

CP/GV

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