Virar air quality map

What exciting information about air quality is available on the air pollution map for Virar?

There is a lot of very exciting information about air quality on the air pollution map for Virar. It is easy to access from the main city page by selecting the map icon whereupon a new page will open which is dedicated to air quality and related articles.

The viewer will be struck by the intense colouration of the entire page which is a direct indication of the current state of the air. In December 2022, it was a very deep reddish/brown colour which would show the air quality as being “Unhealthy”. The viewer will also see some coloured circles or discs which are dotted all over the map. These represent the location of the ground-level air monitoring stations, although not all of them are controlled by the city. These colours are standard across the entire IQAir website and can vary from pale green to dark maroon. The darker the colour, the worse the air quality.

These discs also display a number at their centre which is the United States Air Quality Index reading or US AQI for short. It is calculated by taking the measurements of six of the most prolific air pollutants found in city air which are usually both sizes of Particulate Matter (PM2.5 and PM10), ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide. Once determined it is used as a standard when comparing air quality in different areas across the globe. It is backed by the World Health Organisation (WHO). If any part of the city is of specific interest, the closest disc can be selected to reveal much more information about that specific location.

Briefly looking back to the main city page, it can be seen that at the beginning of December 2022, Virar was experiencing a period of “Unhealthy” air quality with a US AQI reading of 157. The main pollutant which was measured was PM2.5 with a recorded figure of 68 µg/m³. This figure is almost fourteen times higher than the recommended target figure of 5 µg/m³, as suggested by the WHO.

Directly below the air pollution map for Virar can be seen the number of stations there are that provide the data about air quality. Currently, there is just one station providing such data and it is supplied and operated by the Central Pollution Control Board which is a government department.

Is there much more interesting information about air quality on the air pollution map for Virar?

There is a lot more exciting information about air quality on the air pollution map for Virar but the screen needs to be viewed at maximum size otherwise some information might remain hidden. The icon to view it in this way can be found at the top right-hand side of the screen.

On the left-hand side of the screen should be four options which can all be individually turned off and on to fully see the effects they each have on the map.

The first option shows the location of all the ground-level air monitoring stations there are in and around the city and the local environs.

The second option shows the location of any wildfires which might be burning in the local area. If there are any, an icon of flames will appear on the map. If there are any fires burning out of control, then option four needs to be looked at because it shows the speed and direction of the prevailing winds and will give a good indication of where the smoke from the fires will blow.

The third option is powerful because it changes the background colour of the map to reflect the current air quality. Because the air quality is currently, relatively poor, the overall colour of the map is a reddish/brown. This dark colouration of the map may be too intense for some viewers, in which case, it can be deactivated and the colours will revert to a standard set of colours more suitable for map work.

There is more information on the right-hand side of the screen. This takes the form of a table which ranks the seven most polluted cities in the world. If more exploration is required, it is possible to see the full ranking of all participating world cities.

Can areas of higher levels of air pollution be seen on the air pollution map for Virar?

These areas can be found on the air pollution map for Virar by looking for the discs with the highest number and/or darkest colour. Although the easiest way would be to scroll down the page to just below the map where a table can be found which ranks the stations according to their levels of pollution. The dirtiest one at present is located at Vasai West, Mumbai – MPCB and displays a US AQI reading of 161 which is classified as being “Unhealthy”. The next table shows the popularity of the local stations with Vasai West, Mumbai – MPCB being the most popular with the highest number of followers.

Can the source of the polluted air be seen on the air pollution map for Virar?

The source of the polluted air is not directly shown on the air pollution map for Virar, but, as with most large cities, most of the air pollution comes from the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, both from industry and also from vehicles using the road network. Many of these vehicles are older than 10 years and have been imported from other countries where restrictions are tighter.

Stubble burning is also a major source of air pollution even though it is strongly discouraged in many places and illegal in others, but yet it still continues. Those caught burning stubble risk losing the government subsidy or grant.

Often seen on the air pollution map for Virar, how dangerous are PM10 and PM2.5?

Only when the level of PM2.5 is high, does the haze increase and the visibility decrease. Not only this, these particles enter the body while breathing. Due to this, along with difficulty in breathing, there is a risk of many other diseases. Children and the elderly are the worst affected by increasing levels of PM2.5 and PM10 in the air.