Ranked as the 5th most polluted city in India, Kanpur's constantly lowering air quality index has the citizens alarmed. According to the reports released by the Central Pollution Control Board regarding the pollution situation in cities, Kanpur's pollution levels were marked by an AQI as high as 352 unit. As of Monday morning, the Air Quality Index of Kanpur continues at very poor standards, at the 322-mark.

Kanpur under Health Alert

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The formation of a thick blanket of smog, which covered the city and its surrounding areas for 12 hours straight, contributed to Kanpur's AQI reading over the 300-mark. Conditions such as falling mercury, reduced wind speed along with rising humidity index like that in Kanpur, give rise to a situation where pollutants such as sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide get locked-in breathing air, making it severely unhealthy for human consumption.

An AQI over 300 is regarded as 'hazardous' by the CPCB, which labels the city under a health alert. The Board also recommends everybody to avoid outdoor exertion in the city as a precaution against the contaminated air. The Meteorological Department has forecasted a further increase in the humidity levels of the city which will allow the contaminants and pollutants to accumulate over one place at a longer time, adding on to the burdens of Kanpur.

Ranking over Kanpur, the 4 other cities in the list of the most polluted metropolis in India were Haryana's Jind city with 425 AQI, Ambala with 394 AQI along with Baghpat and Meerut with 389AQI and 364AQI respectively.

Knock Knock

The present air quality and that of near future may have a serious health impact on the people of Kanpur if proper control and precautionary measures are not undertaken with a sense of urgency. Health issues due to hazardous intake of air in the middle of a pandemic might weaken the body immunity of individuals making them easy targets of the virus attacks. All readers are requested to exercise self-caution while stepping out, and now, face masks are a must!