CIOInsider India Magazine

Whether there’s going to be a frost bite but the citizens in India could face certain breathing issues, due to the rising air pollution especially after the festival of lights. Before anything, cities such as Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai and Bombay are prone to forming a mist of dust and other pollutants rather than the air filled with cakes and aroma of other delicacies this winter.

It may take time to purify the air, but until then it’s safe to check for the air quality of a certain city, town or place which can help one to be equipped when travelling to that particular pace or best avoid it if that option is on the table. Air quality can be determined by combining a number of factors into a single scale that assists citizens in making sense of data. The AQI (Air Quality Index) ranking is this unifying number.

The AQI measures changes in the quantity of pollution in the air and ranges from 0 to 500. Ground-level ozone, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and airborne particles or aerosols such as PM2.5 and PM10 are the major suspects of the AQI number. Therefore, unless the AQI number is lower in that particular region, it is less safe for the lungs to even be in that place. Here are apps and websites that do not help purify the air, but can help one keep track of the air quality of the destination of their choice of travel.

SAFAR: Details Served Right Off the Ministry of Earth Science
SAFAR India which stands for System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research is a website where users may access precise information directly from the Ministry of Earth Science and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology in Pune. Users will receive AQI projections as well as specific insights into PM10 and PM2.5 levels.

Breezometer: GPS is All it Needs to Fetch the Details
A feature-rich app that can automatically or manually obtain user location data and display AQI information. Aside from that, there's a real-time map view that lets you quickly see how good or bad the air quality is in nearby areas. The app also includes an exposure tracker tab that keeps track of all polluted areas users visit over time and keeps a personal record of current exposure levels. For more accurate information, users can pick between LAQI (Local AQI) and BAQI (Breezometer AQI) data.

Sh**t! I Smoke: An Ideal Smoking Tracker
This is one of the more entertaining apps available, as it not only displays the degree of air quality, but also compares it to other factors to make it easier to grasp. It uses the AQI rating to calculate how many cigarettes the user smoked in a single day or even a week or a month due to the air being contaminated.

IQAir+: Weather Forecast, Maps and More
IQAir+ is another interesting app to try. The app looks like a standard weather forecast app and displays extensive AQI data as well as forecasts for the coming days. There is also a map view here, as well as other statistics such as wind speed, precipitation, and weather.

Plume: Big name in the Air Quality Check Field
A well-known name in the field of air quality. It includes a lot of functions that are similar to AirVisual, but there is one major difference: the software claims to be a user device buddy.

Therefore, depending on the level of air pollution, it can suggest activities ranging from cycling to taking a walk to the nearby restaurant.

AirVisual: Ask its Map to Check the Air Quality
One of the most popular apps for monitoring air quality is AirVisual. It offers data on over 10,000 places and is jam-packed with tools for analyzing air quality in new ways. For one, the app provides a seven-day air pollution forecast as well as an interactive 3D map. Apart from displaying the air quality, it also provides advice on how to lower their risk of sickness caused by pollution. Also, how to cope in an area where air quality is deteriorating by the day if users already have respiratory difficulties. The best thing is that the app can provide users with all of this information in nine different languages, even if English is not one's first language.

Air Cognizer: A Picture of Sky is All that's Needed Here
This air quality monitoring app was created in India, specifically for Indian cities. Last year, three students from Bharti Vidyapeeth College of Engineering launched the smartphone, which features a new method to calculate air quality. The majority of apps use your phone's location data to determine the position of the nearest air monitoring tower and relay data from there. Air Cognizer, on the other hand, encourages people to photograph the sky. The app's machine learning (ML) algorithms then use supporting data to predict the AQI in the area.

AQI India: Real-Time Details
AQI India's mobile app, which was only released in January of this year, is the new kid on the block. It depicts India's map, highlighting all of the country's largest cities as well as their pollution levels. All readings are claimed to be real-time by AQI India. Aside from that, it works similarly to most other air quality monitoring applications, allowing you to view data over a 24-hour or seven-day period. It also provides recommendations on which activities are best for reducing pollution exposure. However, be aware that the app is still in its infancy and can occasionally be buggy.

But if users wish to get brief information regarding air quality, there’s always Google Search. The default Google Search application may be sufficient for individuals who do not require a full analysis of air pollution in their location. To acquire rapid AQI information for your locations of interest, simply search for ‘air quality near me’ or ‘air quality in Mumbai (or any other city)’.

The Sources Responsible for Air Pollution
Due to the vast number of cars trying to use what roads are available, traffic congestion is a major issue in India's major cities and towns. Other problems include the lack of intercity divided highways and traffic accidents caused by the chaotic circumstances on India's roads as a result of lax law enforcement. Traffic remains at a stop with the engines idling due to the bottlenecks generated by junctions. The dust produced by demolition and subsequent construction of new properties contributes to poor air quality.