Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Goa and many other cities in India have been under severe Air Quality Index (AQI) as the pollution level is rising gradually. With the onset of cold and Diwali festivities coming ahead, the AQI is expected to go even higher. While one can take precautionary measures like using an air purifier at home and wearing a mask when outside, there is not much that can bring down the AQI in the overall environment due to multiple factors that lead to the rising graph. In order to check the AQI of your area or your city before stepping out of the house, there are a few apps that you can install on your phone. As the pollution level is on the rise, we have curated a list of AQI-level checking apps to make sure you live a better life and keep yourself protected.
Available on Google Play Store as well as the App Store, the IQAir AirVisual I Air Quality app is easy to download on both Android as well as Apple smartphones. Moreover, the app is also compatible with smartwatches and tablets. As the description defines, this app provides air quality information from over 5 lakh cities across the globe, using government monitoring stations as well as its sensors. One can get health recommendations on the app, along with weather and AQI forecasts for up to 7 days in advance. It also showcases real-time air quality for multiple cities. You can view the information on pollution in 2D as well as 3D format.
Launched by the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India, the SAFAR-Air (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research-Air) app is available to download on the Play Store as well as the App Store. As the description reveals, this app was developed by the ministry in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune. Currently, it provides data for air quality as well as pollution forecasts for only metro cities, which include Delhi, Pune, Mumbai and Ahmedabad. There are four language options to choose from based on the cities — these are English, Hindi, Marathi and Gujarati. The app covers only limited areas in these cities for now.
Another great application to check the AQI level in your city is the Air Quality App by Plume Labs, which is also available for Android as well as Apple smartphones. The app shows real-time air quality index for several cities, along with providing the weather and pollution forecast for the next 72 hours. It also helps in analysing data for up to the last 6 months. The air quality forecasting system gathers data for the app. It provides data for dangerous pollutants like NO2, PM 2.5, PM 10, and O3. It sends two reports for the day, with an overview of the current day and a forecast of the next day.
If you are someone who understands pollution only in the context of cigarettes, there is an app that could be just perfect to measure how bad the air quality index of your city is. Like all other apps, this one is available on both App Store and Play Store. It helps understand AQI by comparing air pollution with cigarette smoking. Thus, you could also know how many cigarettes can be dangerous for your lungs and health. With an interactive interface, you can also get specific information on the app regarding PM2.5, PM10, CO, O3, NO2 and SO2 data.
Available on both the App Store as well as Play Store, the BreezoMeter Air Quality is another app that can help you measure the air quality index in the area near you. This app also helps the users in bringing down their exposure to poor air quality, as well as pollen. It shows the air quality index for over 94 countries, with real-time data as well as forecasts for future planning. The app makes it easy for users to understand the pollutants that exist in the environment near them and their sources. The user can learn to reduce their exposure to those harmful sources.
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