Pune’s air pollution remained in the severe range for a third consecutive day, with the city’s reported air-quality index reaching 226 on Friday, prompting meteorologists to advise people with respiratory illnesses, older residents and children to wear masks outdoors.
The warning was issued by meteorologists from the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, an organisation under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, according to a report by Pudhari. People with breathing-related conditions were advised to check air-quality conditions before stepping outside and to limit exposure when pollution levels remain high.
The report said Pune’s air quality had moved into the highly polluted category around Diwali. It attributed the initial deterioration to heavy fireworks on 8 November, the day of Lakshmi Puja, followed by increased vehicle movement from the next day. The combination of fireworks-related emissions and traffic has kept particulate pollution elevated across the city, the report said.
Pollution levels varied sharply across monitoring locations. Shivajinagar recorded an index of 250 on Thursday, while Bhosari recorded 427. On Friday, the citywide average was reported at 226. The figures indicate that several parts of Pune were experiencing pollution well above the levels considered acceptable in the report.
The report also cited particulate concentrations of 109 micrograms per cubic metre for PM2.5 and 163 micrograms per cubic metre for PM10 on Friday. It said the expected levels for these pollutants should be between 60 and 80 micrograms per cubic metre. PM2.5 and PM10 refer to fine and coarse airborne particles that can enter the respiratory system, with smaller particles capable of penetrating deeper into the lungs.
Baner and Balewadi in Pune’s western suburbs were identified as among the worst-affected areas. The report linked the elevated dust-particle pollution in these neighbourhoods to heavy traffic and said the local air-quality index had remained above 200.
Meteorologists advised people with respiratory disorders to use masks when going outdoors. They also urged families to take particular care of seriously ill people, older residents and young children while pollution levels remained elevated.
The latest readings place air quality at the centre of Pune’s immediate public-health concerns, with the reported figures showing that pollution was not limited to a single monitoring point. The advisory calls for residents in sensitive groups to follow local air-quality readings and reduce outdoor exposure during periods of poor air.
The meteorologists’ advice remains focused on protective measures for vulnerable residents as Pune enters a third consecutive day of reported severe pollution.
