How to check Real-time AQI: The air quality in North India, especially Delhi and surrounding areas, is continuously deteriorating. Many times the situation becomes such that even breathing becomes difficult and people who travel daily have to face the most problems. Even though the government is trying to control pollution, it is very important for the common people to get the right information on time. In such a situation, Google Maps helps you. This app shows you the real-time Air Quality Index (AQI) of the areas around you so that you can take the right decision before leaving the house.
Why is it important for daily travelers to check AQI?
If you go out every day for office, school or any other work, then knowing AQI is very important for your health. Google Maps not only identifies polluted areas but also tells where the air is worse. With this you can take necessary steps like wearing a mask, changing the route or deciding the time to go out.
Ways to view AQI from Google Maps
View information directly from AQI layer
- Open Google Maps on your Android phone or iPhone.
- At the top of the screen, below your profile photo, you will see the Layers option, tap on it.
- Select Air Quality option from here.
- Now the AQI of your area will be visible with colors on the map.
See both weather and AQI together
- Go to the Google Maps homepage and open the Explore section.
- Here you will see an icon related to weather and “AQI”, click on it.
- The temperature of your area will be visible at the top and the option of Air Quality will be available below it.
- As soon as you tap on it, the surrounding air condition will be revealed.
What do the colors seen in Google Maps mean?
In Google Maps, AQI is shown on a scale of 0 to 500 and different colors are visible with it.
Green (0–100): The air is considered relatively clean and safe.
Yellow and orange: The air is moderately bad. Sensitive people should exercise caution.
Red color (above 300): The air is very bad, in such a situation special caution is necessary before going out.
Keep important information in mind
The AQI shown on Google Maps keeps updating every few minutes so that you can get the latest information. However, air quality can vary from place to place and the nearest monitoring station may not give an accurate picture of every small location. Still, the map-based view gives you a better and clearer idea of the situation in the surrounding areas.
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What is Sanchar Saathi? Why does the government want this app to be present in every new smartphone?
