Air quality in Gujarat equivalent to smoking 2 cigarettes a day

The onset of winter in Gujarat has brought with it deteriorating air quality.

While the condition in the state is not as bad as Delhi’s 400+ Air Quality Index (AQI), Gujarat isn’t too far behind — and it seems to be catching up quickly.

On November 19, Surat’s AQI stood at 263  that’s as bad for your lungs as smoking two cigarettes a day.

Ahmedabad was slightly better on November 20, with an AQI of 153 with PM 2.5 (particulate matter) 59.1  µg/m³ according to IQAir data – which is dubbed as ‘unhealthy’ as per World Health Organization (WHO).

Experts say that an AQI between 201 and 300 is considered ‘poor’, and prolonged exposure can cause breathing problems. If the AQI crosses 400, even healthy individuals can be affected.